# su(1)

    NAME
         su - temporary become superuser or another user

    SYNOPSIS
         su [-[e]] [user [shell-arguments ...]]

    DESCRIPTION
         Su can be used to temporarily run a  shell  under  the  identity  of  the
         superuser or another user.  Unless the caller is a member of the operator
         group, one is prompted for the password of the  user-to-be.   Calls  that
         need  a  password  are  logged, whether they succeed or not.  The default
         user is root.  Further arguments are handed to the shell.  By default the
         shell  started is the shell of the invoker, and the environment is passed
         on as is.

         The activities of su are logged through syslog(3) under Minix-vmd.

    OPTIONS

         -    Constructs a new environment consisting of the PATH, USER,  LOGNAME,
              HOME,  SHELL,  TERM,  TERMCAP, and TZ variables.  The environment is
              the same as on a normal login, except that TERM, TERMCAP and TZ  are
              copied  from  the  current  environment if set.  The current working
              directory is changed to the user home directory, the  shell  of  the
              user-to-be  is  run,  and  it  is started as a login shell, with the
              first character a minus sign.

         -e   Like above, but the shell is started normally, not as a login shell.

    SEE ALSO
         sh(1), login(1), syslog(3).

    AUTHOR
         Kees J. Bot <kjb@cs.vu.nl>