There is something that has always bothered me about the scripts in `/etc/init.d'. Every once in a while I attempt to execute one of these scripts while logged in as a non-root user. For example, I might type `/etc/init.d/foobar restart' while having the privileges of user `jps' (uid=1000). Normally, as the administrator, I would preface the previous text with the `sudo' command. Sometimes I forget, and as a result, I get all kinds of bogus garbage printed to my error channel; and it takes me a confused moment to figure out what went wrong. Try it with your favorite init.d script today! I have a simple suggested solution that might help alleviate this awkwardness (without obliging me to raise my awareness!). How about prefacing the scripts in `/etc/init.d' with something along the lines of:
if [ ! $EUID == 0 ]; then echo "Sorry, this script must run with root privileges." if I am not sure why the script writers do not include something like this in all of the init.d scripts. Unless I am overlooking something obvious, maybe we can include this type of thing in debian policy? -- Jean-Paul Stewart
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