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

On 2021-09-23 01:55, Hans Ottevanger wrote:
> On 9/22/21 10:36 AM, Baptiste Daroussin wrote:
>> Hello,
>> 
>> TL;DR: this is not a proposal to deorbit csh from base!!!
>> 
>> For years now, csh is the default root shell for FreeBSD, csh can be 
>> confusing
>> as a default shell for many as all other unix like settled on a bourne 
>> shell
>> compatible interactive shell: zsh, bash, or variant of ksh.
>> 
>> Recently our sh(1) has receive update to make it more user friendly in
>> interactive mode:
>> * command completion (thanks pstef@)
>> * improvement in the emacs mode, to make it behave by default like other 
>> shells
>> * improvement in the vi mode (in particular the vi edit to respect $EDITOR)
>> * support for history as described by POSIX.
>> 
>> This makes it a usable shell by default, which is why I would like to 
>> propose to
>> make it the default shell for root starting FreeBSD 14.0-RELEASE (not 
>> MFCed)
>> 
>> If no strong arguments has been raised until October 15th, I will make this
>> proposal happen.
>> 
>> Again just in case: THIS IS NOT A PROPOSAL TO REMOVE CSH FROM BASE!
>> 
>> Best regards,
>> Baptiste
>> 
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I applaud the proposal to change the default login shell of root to /bin/sh. 
> As
> you mention the rest of the Unix(-like) world has used a Bourne-like root 
> login
> shell forever. It is one of the first things I change on a new FreeBSD 
> install
> anyway.
> 
> While there, you could change "Charlie &" in the gecos field to something 
> more
> sensible, e.g. just "Superuser". I know Charlie is there since 4.2BSD, but 
> the
> reference to a long forgotten baseball player is probably lost by now. Also, 
> a lot
> of explanation is often needed when users receive (automated) emails from 
> Charlie
> Root.
> 
> Once the login shell of root has changed to /bin/sh, I do not see any reason 
> to
> keep toor around. It is there since 4.3BSD, but I don't know anybody who 
> uses it
> in the long term. Many will just change the login shell of root to a 
> Bourne-like
> shell right away.
> 
> I have experimented a bit with the new usability features of sh in 14.0 and 
> I must
> say that it was quite a positive experience. I could easily suppress the 
> urge to
> install and use bash instead of sh. I wonder if the changes (but not the 
> ones to
> /etc/passwd) could be MFC'd in a few months, once they have matured a bit, 
> so they

It was mentioned in the OP this *wouldn't* be MFC'd. An aspect I'm glad to 
hear.

> would land in 13.1. As you mention elsewhere in this thread, usage in 
> scripts is
> not affected by these changes. And for interactive use it could be a POLA
> violation, but the astonishment would be a positive one.

--Chris