Default shells usually end in $. Unless you’re root and it’s #. That tradition has been around forever: people recognized the need to highlight you’re not just some random shmoe. These days we have lots of snazzy shell magic. You might still su, but you’re more likely to sudo. We still temporarily assume extra privileges. If you have access to more than one set of systems, like production and staging, you probably have ways of putting on a particular hat.
