Is there a way to start an application as another user so that the started application would use the other user's preferences/history/resources et al?
For example: I've logged in as Alice and I'd like to start Firefox as Bob, so therefore Firefox would show Bob's browsing history instead of Alice's.
I tried
$ su Bob
$ open -a Firefox
But with no apparent effect; as a matter of a fact Activity monitor shows the Firefox process is being run by Alice—not Bob.
I understand I will need Bob's login credentials, but that's not a problem.
Best Answer
From the command line you have to find the Unix executable and run it using sudo like so:
… or the same with su: (however this also needs you to set up a password for root - which I do not recommend)
(…or the above in one line:)
In the past, the easiest way for PPC Macs was to use Pseudo, but it has been long discontinued. This is to drop the application icon on Pseudo's icon or window.