Totally. It could be called ‘bananajuice’, and it would still function in the same way. Similarly, knowing the origin of sed, grep and tar have little impact on actual usage, despite them now being symbolic of how far computing has developed. (The benefit of brevity with two-letter commands over slow connections is also something consigned to history!)

It was just easier to say the initials “S U” or “super-user” than to say “switch user” or “substitute user”. To insist on correctness, whether authoritarian, historical or otherwise seems petty.

Depending on the options used, su can be used to switch user, substitute user or become “super user”. Success depends on knowledge of the appropriate password. “sudo” on the other hand may allow one to become any other user (depending on the configuration of sudo and being a “sodoer”) knowing only the login password.

On the systems I have used, a sudoer can become root (“super user”) using this shell command at a terminal:

sudo su – root

and responding to the prompt with the login password used to sign in the current user.

I think it is important to point out that you cannot become “super user” or root from a shell with the su command alone unless there is a root password and that password is entered at the prompt.

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