Microsoft got patent of the popular unix command "sudo"  reports many popular websites. ZDnet blogger Adrian writes "It appears that Microsoft has patented sudo, or at least its own version of sudo." He continues "Maybe this is sudo, maybe it’s not, but either way, I can’t see how this is patent-worthy." If it is the actual unix sudo, it is going to make widespread implications in the industry. Think of the situation of Unix user without "sudo".

 The US patent office site lists the inventors of sudo as  Ruzyski; David M (Kirkland, WA), Hong; James H. (Seattle, WA), McNeil; Brian (Seattle, WA), Doerr; Anastasia C (Kirkland, WA), Guzak; Chris J. (Kirkland, WA), Reasor; Sterling M. (Bellevue, WA), Stabb; Charles W. (Seattle, WA), Wentz; Brian D. (Seattle, WA). And the assignee as Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, WA.)

 Though the wordings in the patent doesnot explictly say anything about the Unix command, most commentators fear this as also another well planned trick from the Microsofts side.

The patent defines the sudo as: "Systems and/or methods are described that enable a user to elevate his or her rights. In one embodiment, these systems and/or methods present a user interface identifying an account having a right to permit a task in response to the task being prohibited based on a user's current account not having that right."

 The definitions that is given in the patent clearly defines sudo as what we know about Unix sudo. Patent defines sudo as "  One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions therein that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform acts comprising: presenting a higher-rights account to a computer user currently logged on to a computer's operating system with a limited-rights account, the higher-rights account having a right to permit a task currently prohibited by the operating system based on the limited-rights account not having the right to permit the task, the higher-rights account presented with an identifier capable of identifying a name of the higher-rights account or a person associated with the higher-rights account, wherein the act of presenting the higher-rights account comprises presenting additional higher-rights accounts, each additional higher-rights account being presented with an additional identifier capable of identifying a name of the additional higher-rights account or a person associated with the additional higher-rights account and wherein the additional higher-rights accounts being presented are determined based on criteria comprising: indication of sufficient but not unlimited rights: frequency of use; and association with the current user; an authenticator region configured to receive an authenticator, the authenticator usable to authenticate the higher-rights account wherein the authenticator received comprises a password that is the same authenticator used for the user's current limited-rights account and the authenticator region comprises a data-entry field into which the user may type the password; authenticating the higher-rights account; and temporarily elevating the computer user's rights to that of the higher-rights account effective to permit the operating system to cease prohibiting the task."

In references also, its given many linux references like:

GKSU: A gtk+ su front end Linux Man Page" retrived at <<http://www.penguin-soft.com/peguin/man/1/gksu.html>>.

Linuxtopia, "Ubuntu FAQ Guide: Chapter 6- Users Administration", May 31, 2005, retrieved on <<http://web.archive.org/web/20060523005037/http://linuxtopia.org?o- nline.sub.--books/system.sub.--administration.sub.--books/ubuntu.sub.--sta- rter.sub.--guide/index.html>>

Read the full patent at: CLICK HERE......

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