GNU bug report logs - #36583
26.1; emacs 26 tries loading original user's .emacs after su to root

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From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 36583 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Steinar Bang <sb <at> dod.no>
Subject: bug#36583: 26.1; emacs 26 tries loading original user's .emacs after su to root
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2019 01:17:21 +0200

Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

> FWIW, I find this behavior very surprising (and dangerous).

Yes, me too.  I can't think of any other program that behaves in this
manner.

> BTW, thinking about "dangerous" above, I guess the behavior might make
> sense when you're `su`ing *from* root rather than the other way around.

By default, /root on many systems isn't readable by anybody but root, so
I don't think it makes much sense in any situation...

I think Emacs shouldn't do this at all.  When was this introduced, and
what was the reasoning behind it?

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no

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