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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
On both {{w|Windows}} and {{w|UNIX}} computer systems, users can be assigned all kinds of rights, for example rights to access certain directories and files, or to execute certain commands.  The ''{{w|sudo}}'' command (pronounced "sue do" or "pseudo") lets certain (authorized) UNIX users override these policies by executing the command (everything after the word "sudo" on the command line) as the root user. Root (sometimes called the superuser) has complete system powers, exempt from all access controls; it is similar to a Windows administrator, however even the powers of a Windows administrator is limited - the ''system32'' folder, for example, cannot be deleted because it is a critical part of the operating system, while there is no such restriction on UNIX - if a root user feels like (or accidentally) deletes a vital file, they are free to do so. As a result, common advice is to not use sudo unless the command in question absolutely requires it - indeed, most commands do not require such privileges.
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On both {{w|Windows}} and {{w|UNIX}} computer systems, users can be assigned all kinds of rights, for example rights to access certain directories and files, or to execute certain commands.  The ''{{w|sudo}}'' command (pronounced "sue due" or "pseudo") lets certain (authorized) UNIX users override these policies by executing the command (everything after the word "sudo" on the command line) as the root user. Root (sometimes called the superuser) has complete system powers, exempt from all access controls; it is similar to a Windows administrator, however even the powers of a Windows administrator is limited - the ''system32'' folder, for example, cannot be deleted because it is a critical part of the operating system, while there is no such restriction on UNIX - if a root user feels like (or accidentally) deletes a vital file, they are free to do so. As a result, common advice is to not use sudo unless the command in question absolutely requires it - indeed, most commands do not require such privileges.
  
 
One very common activity for UNIX administrators is to install or configure software using the UNIX ''{{w|Make (software)|make}}'' command, e.g. <code>% '''make install'''</code>.  Often this command requires administrative permissions in order to complete successfully, which in practice means the "<code>make ''this''</code>" command will fail unless it is typed as "<code>sudo make ''this''</code>" instead. However as mentioned before since most commands work just fine without sudo, along with general discouragement from using it willy-nilly, it is fairly common for people who use or administer UNIX systems to attempt a straight up <code>% make install</code> and have it fail. They then need to repeat the command with "sudo," whereupon the computer responds obediently, and everything works smoothly.
 
One very common activity for UNIX administrators is to install or configure software using the UNIX ''{{w|Make (software)|make}}'' command, e.g. <code>% '''make install'''</code>.  Often this command requires administrative permissions in order to complete successfully, which in practice means the "<code>make ''this''</code>" command will fail unless it is typed as "<code>sudo make ''this''</code>" instead. However as mentioned before since most commands work just fine without sudo, along with general discouragement from using it willy-nilly, it is fairly common for people who use or administer UNIX systems to attempt a straight up <code>% make install</code> and have it fail. They then need to repeat the command with "sudo," whereupon the computer responds obediently, and everything works smoothly.
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Alternatively, the title text might merely be referring to the similarity between Cueball ordering his friend around with "sudo" to the Simon Says game leader ordering other players around. Wikipedia suggests  that the "Simon" in the name of the game may be the powerful lord Simon de Montfort, or a corruption of Cicero, both of whom were influential politicians of their day.
 
Alternatively, the title text might merely be referring to the similarity between Cueball ordering his friend around with "sudo" to the Simon Says game leader ordering other players around. Wikipedia suggests  that the "Simon" in the name of the game may be the powerful lord Simon de Montfort, or a corruption of Cicero, both of whom were influential politicians of their day.
 
In ''[[xkcd: volume 0]]'', an additional line is added: <code>Make: *** No rule to make target 'sandwich'. Stop.</code>
 
Make uses a file within the program in order to determine how to make it; lack of such a file will give an error. This sentence shows just that happening to 'sandwich': there are no clear instructions that make has found for it, the same way that Cueball has not specified the sandwich beyond its moniker.
 
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
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==Trivia==
 
==Trivia==
* This comic used to be available [https://web.archive.org/web/20211215085611/https://store.xkcd.com/products/sudo as a T-shirt] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20220125023401/https://store.xkcd.com/products/signed-prints as a signed print] in the xkcd store before it was [[Store|shut down]].
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*This comic is available as a T-shirt in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/sudo xkcd store].
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*This comic is available as a signed print in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/signed-prints xkcd store].
 
*The sudo tool has adopted a sandwich-based logo, as seen on the [https://www.sudo.ws/sudo.html Sudo main page] (and the bottom of the [https://www.sudo.ws/contributors.html list of contributors]).
 
*The sudo tool has adopted a sandwich-based logo, as seen on the [https://www.sudo.ws/sudo.html Sudo main page] (and the bottom of the [https://www.sudo.ws/contributors.html list of contributors]).
*Searching "make me a sandwich" on {{w|DuckDuckGo}} [https://duckduckgo.com/?q=make+me+a+sandwich&t=h_&ia=answer tells you to make it yourself], but searching "sudo make me a sandwich" returns "Okay."
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*Typing in "make me a sandwich" into DuckDuckGo tells you to make it yourself.{{citation needed}}
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}

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