Re: [HEADSUP] making /bin/sh the default shell for root

On 12/10/21 14:21, Gary Jennejohn wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Oct 2021 06:59:00 -0400
> grarpamp <grarpamp@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>>> No. The system shell is supposed to make the system usable
>>> by the users. Actually, the real problem is that the easiest way
>>> to shoot one's own foot is by changing the language (say, the
>>> shell) spoken by default by FreeBSD.
>>
>> Well, the FreeBSD system speaks sh for its own use, this is clearly
>> documented as the shell called by init(8), and later by rc(8),
>> it should probably be the root:0 entry at least for consistancy.
>> No other shell is called by the FreeBSD system there.
>> Whatever the users want for their own shells is really up
>> to them to decide after that.
>>
>> "Default" is bit of low context word, as there is no falling
>> back to some shell occuring, no filling in for some missing
>> option, etc. Maybe use word "shipped" or "root" instead.
>>
>> Everyone said they already do, and will continue to,
>> exec whatever shell they like, whether after login,
>> or by changing the entry. So in addition to the user
>> being ultimately responsible for their own box and usage,
>> this well announced entry for UPDATING cannot therein
>> really be responsible for any user self-shooting.
>>
>>> This is non-sense.
>>
>> Well, FreeBSD does not add every shell in base,
>> does not add every app to base, etc.
>> Some reasons for those limits should be obvious.
>> This update gives further distilling clarity by
>> limiting the number of shipped uid 0 entries to 1,
>> with that 1 being sh.
>>
>>> Every unix user should know that it's
>>> possible to changing the used shell by using
>>> chsh and this includes root.
>>
>> Then for every user, this update is not a problem.
>>
> 
> I've been using UNIX both privately and professionally since 1984
> and I must admit that I never heard of chsh before seeing this
> e-mail.  I simply use vipw; it's the logical way to do this sort
> of thing IMHO.  But I suppose that this is the way to go for users
> who don't have root access (which I always have).

AFAIK only root can use vipw, while chsh is usable by all system users.

Guess you've been root since 1984 :)

-- 
Guido Falsi <mad@madpilot.net>