You can use su to assume the identity of any user on the system, not just
root. To do this, type su user where user is the user you want to become.
You'll have to know the user's password, of course, unless you're root at
the time or the user has no password.

Figure 4.1: Sample session with su
\begin{figure}\par\par\begin{list}{}{ \setlength{\rightmargin}{\leftmargin}
\ra... ...~~~~~~~~~~~~~}\textrm{\textit{Exit your \lq\lq normal''
shell}}\end{list}\end{figure}

Virtual Consoles

The Linux kernel supports virtual consoles. These provide a way of making
your single screen and keyboard seem like multiple terminals that are
connected to the same system. Thankfully, using virtual consoles is one of
the simplest things about Debian: There are ``hot keys'' for switching
among the consoles quickly. To try it, log in to your system and press
Alt-F2 (simultaneously press the left Alt key, and F2, that is, function
key number 2).

You should find yourself at another login prompt. Don't panic: You are now
on virtual console (VC) number 2! Log in here and do some things - more
whoami commands or whatever - to confirm that this is a real login shell.
Now you can return to virtual console number 1 by pressing Alt-F1. Or you
can move on to a third virtual console, in the obvious way (Alt-F3).

Debian comes with six virtual consoles enabled by default, which you
access with the Alt key and function keys F1 through F6. (Technically,
there are more virtual consoles enabled, but only six of them allow you to
log in. The others are used for the X Window system or other special