Use the UID to test for root as Mr.C has stated. Any user with UID of 0 has superuser privilege, regardless of username.
You might also want to use some passwd checking utility to check for users that have their UIDs set to 0 besides root. (or write a script to parse /etc/passwd).

I did something similar to this when I was at my last job...

There is probably a better way...but this is how I do it...

-C

The clearest point of all this discussion. I was agree with that initially.

Mr.C., I haven't still caught the convenience explanation. Or does it mean just switching between sh and csh by user name?

My estimates were built on my 9+ *Nix experience (not BSD, I've never used it). Thus, I know just one admin who renames root accounts, as he says, by force of habit (17years of nix experience, the age of R-commands...). Another one used it before, but gave up. But all others have never used renaming at all. That was the point of my statement. I didn't mean two or more uid=0 - accounts there.

What about "not for this case", I bet this code will work on the Suvra's box. User toor is in doubt in this situation, so checking for uid could allow hacker with uid=0 to perform the operation. It'd probably be stronger to check for both uid and username. Looks funny?
If a system is compromised, such ways don't work at all.
BTW, I remember that you said nothing about security...

And finally, Mr.C, sometimes you're trying to assure me of things I'm assured myself. So, let me express clearly my position.

I'm absolutely agree that uid=0 is more portable.
I'm agree that users should learn about UID/GID.
However, I'm afraid, Suvra has less than 25 nix experience, and he doesn't run some production server. So, I tried to make it easier, partially at the expense of some features which could never been used.
I'm agree about sometimes working code. Code should work stable in normal predefined conditions. However, there is no bug-free code in the world. Each program will fail in certain circumstances. Nevertheless, I agree that we should try to make it better.

I hope, it'll make the debates more constructive.

In case of normal functioning, it looks like if Var1 is true then Var2 = true... So, checking the account by its name would work not worse.
If there is something wrong in a system, however, such script could make the situation even worse...

You assented about "Code that just sometimes works by design"? And made Four mistakes in 6 lines...
#1 You don't use defined variable oracleuser. Well, it's a slip.
Then, how do you think the script will behave if there are:
#2 No oracle accounts?
#3 Several Oracle accounts?
#4 Several users with oracle's uid?
Absolutely good code is not exist. Even if you correct these, some other will appear...

I've used Oracle from the version of 7 (with SCO), and I've never seen installations with non-'oracle' OS user... May be it was DB User? Or not *nix?

PS In the post #17, it'd be easier to get currcount this way:
awk -F':' '$3 == 0 {cnt++} END {print cnt}' /etc/passwd

it needs to be emailed, OP's requirement

...So you are critiquing my "sample" code while your sample code looks like this?

Wow you are petty...


PS I never had good luck using a bang (!) in an echo...you may want to put it in quotes...(see I can be pathetic too...)

-C

I think its time for this thread to rest.

Unsubscribing

-C

Unfortunately, nothing constructive again...