Stephen Powell grabbed a keyboard and wrote: > On Sat, 29 Jun 2013 16:07:54 -0400 (EDT), David Guntner wrote: >> >> Stephen Powell grabbed a keyboard and wrote: >>> >>> Error: messages not turned on: /dev/pts/0: Operation not permitted >>> >>> (vi is actually nvi on my system.) >>> This problem does not occur in a virtual terminal (vt1-vt6). It also >>> does not occur if I switch to root, instead of a non-root user. >>> >>> A search of the internet seemed to suggest that the problem was the >>> presence of "biff y" in a bash profile. However, I have looked, and >>> I cannot find "biff y" specified in any bash-related file. (I am running >>> jessie.) In fact, the biff package is not even installed. Ideas anyone? >> >> Since it's complaining about messages not being turned on, try "mesg y" >> and see if that helps. > > I just tried that. "mesg y" produced no output and no error messages, but > a subsequent execution of vi produced the same error on exit as before.
No, it won't output a message when you set it y or n. Not sure I
understand why vi is doing something that needs a messages channel
turned on. And it's kind of hard to guess without seeing actual output. :-)
You said you had done some su commands before invoking vi, if I recall
correctly. Did you try doing the "mesg y" command at the initial login
point, before su'ing to the user where you're trying to run vi?
--Dave
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