Re: The history of the name 'Root' (as in superuser)?

From: John Fry (john+usenet_at_johnfry.org)
Date: 12/14/04 

Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2004 09:22:31 -0800

Dave Hinz <DaveHinz@spamcop.net> writes:

> On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 09:37:41 +0000 (UTC), Laurenz Albe <albe@culturallNOSPAM.com> wrote:
>> Dave Hinz <DaveHinz@spamcop.net> wrote:
>>>> I'd say it is because / is root's home directory (in most UNIces).
>>>
>>> That's circular. Why is it called "root" and not, say, "master" or
>>> "sysop"?
>>
>> What I suggested may be wrong (it is only a guess), but it is not
>> circular. Calling / 'root directory' comes natural.
>
> How so, linguistically and/or historically?

Calling / 'root directory' is natural because it invokes the tree
metaphor, one of the most basic metaphors in computer science.
Extending the term 'root' to the user whose home directory is / is
also natural: the term for this is metonymy.

>> Calling the user whose home it is 'root' is a consequence.
>> Where's the circularity?
>
> It's the root user because his directory is root. It's the root directory
> because that's where the root user logs in. You're just too close to see it
> is all.

No, it's not circular. Wrong perhaps (I don't know), but not
circular. Root user depends on root directory, not the other way
around.

Best,

John

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