Curt Sampson writes:
[ .profile needs /usr/bin/id ]
 > 
 > Charles just fixed this by removing the call to ID. I'm not sure
 > a better fix wouldn't be along the lines of `test -x /usr/bin/id
 > && id'.
 > 
 > But there's something more I want to point out about this .profile:
 > it only works for you initial shell, and the prompt and shell
 > functions get lost in subshells. What do you think about doing it
 > the way I've been doing it for a few years, which is to add
 > 
 >     ENV=$HOME/.shrc; export ENV
 > 
 > to the .profile, and then put something similar to the following
 > in .shrc:

Just one request:  This is root's .profile -- keep it simple!
Reliability is MUCH more important than fancy features here.