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Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation

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On Mon 13 Aug 2018 at 09:08:28 (-0400), Greg Wooledge wrote:
> On Sat, Aug 11, 2018 at 05:28:37PM -0500, Ryan Nowakowski wrote:
> > For example if I set the EDITOR env var how does
> > that interact with update-alternatives when I run visudo?
> 
> The VISUAL or EDITOR variable takes precedence, if one of them is set.
> If neither one is set, then visudo uses its compiled-in default, which
> on Debian happens to be '/usr/bin/editor'.
> 
> The problem is that sometimes, sudo will strip environment variables,
> and sometimes, it will not.  So, on any given computer with any given
> sudoers configuration, you can't actually know in advance whether
> "sudo visudo" will use VISUAL/EDITOR or not.
> 
> Isn't Unix *fun*?
> 
> Of course, if you simply use "su", then VISUAL/EDITOR will be preserved
> in the environment (because "su" does not strip environment variables),
> so "su" followed by "visudo" should work fine.
> 
> But, wait!  Debian has decided to CHANGE HOW SU WORKS in testing, so
> after stretch, who knows how things will work?!
> 
> Some people claim you should muscle-memorize "su -" which strips the
> environment in order to give you a usable PATH variable.  If you follow
> THIS advice, then "su -" will strip VISUAL/EDITOR from the environment,
> and then your VISUAL/EDITOR variables won't work when you type visudo.
> So, I can't imagine why you would want to do that.  Losing all your
> qualify-of-life environment variables is far too high a price to pay to
> get a working PATH variable after su.
> 
> The other alternatives are:
> 
> 1) Stay on stretch.
> 2) Edit /etc/login.defs to restore a functional su command (without needing
>    to use "su -").
> 3) Put /usr/sbin and /sbin in your ordinary account's PATH.
> 
> *Fun*!

Why is

 Put some "qualify-of-life environment variables" into /root/.bashrc

not in your list?

Cheers,
David.

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/etc/alternatives feedback for presentation "der.hans" <deb-user@LuftHans.com> - 2018-08-09 22:10 +0200
  Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation Ryan Nowakowski <tubaman@fattuba.com> - 2018-08-12 00:30 +0200
    Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2018-08-13 15:10 +0200
      Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2018-08-14 17:40 +0200
        Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2018-08-14 17:50 +0200
      Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation "der.hans" <deb-user@LuftHans.com> - 2018-08-24 04:30 +0200
        Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2018-08-24 14:20 +0200
    Re: /etc/alternatives feedback for presentation "der.hans" <deb-user@LuftHans.com> - 2018-08-17 04:40 +0200

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