From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
Message-ID: <49460fd96304713b16408f43232eecf9@plan9.ucalgary.ca>
To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu
Subject: Re: [9fans] First-timer help
Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2005 13:20:35 -0600
From: andrey mirtchovski <mirtchov@cpsc.ucalgary.ca>
In-Reply-To: <42DAAF20.1050102@moseslake-wa.com>
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> And why do you have to reboot in order to change users?  UNIX has had 
> that from the beginning, and I don't see any reason to drop it.

this isn't unix :) 

the single most-important reason to switch users (do something as
root) does not exist here, hence nobody bothered.  when you set up a
proper file/cpu/auth server on which you're going to have more than
one users then you can always log in as the administrative user
(bootes, in most cases) remotely or on the console of the server and
administer.  if you only have a standalone, single-user machine you're
considered its owner.

in short, you'll need to set-up a standalone cpu/auth server to get
passwords.  the instructions are on the wiki.

have you read "plan 9 from bell-labs" and "security in plan9"?  they
contain some of the rationale for this setup.