From: James Gray <james@...>
Date: 2009-01-28T09:41:54+09:00
Subject: Re: Super User Can't Change UID?

On Jan 27, 2009, at 5:11 PM, James Gray wrote:

> Why would the super user not be able to switch UID's?
>
>  $ sudo ruby -r etc -e 'Process.uid = Etc.getpwnam("james").uid'
>  Password:
>  -e:1:in `uid=': Operation not permitted (Errno::EPERM)
>  	from -e:1

Another data point on this odd issue:  Apple's bundled Ruby (I'm on OS  
X) works:

   $ sudo /usr/bin/ruby -r etc -e 'Process.uid =  
Etc.getpwnam("james").uid'
   Password:
   $

It's just the Ruby I built that fails.  How could I have messed this  
up in the build?

James Edward Gray II