**sudoedit** is an abstract reference, that is it will point by default to the editor selected by the distribution, or if the default is overridden to whatever editor selected see [http://www.cs-repository.info/][1].  This override likely would be caught by a system admin, but not by an inexperienced user (who could have actually made the changes).  The danger here is the non-default editor could have shell escapes.  An additional caution is that an example presented pedagogically would be different if the default editor had be changed to **vi** or **emacs** both of which have been defaults for **sudoedit** in the past, or other editor.  **vi** is currently the default choice of [http://www.sudo.ws/sudo/sudo.html][2]

**nano** is a specific GNU editor with no shell escapes (and is the default **sudoedit** editor in later distributions of Ubuntu).  When executed with the "` -B`" ( or "` --backup`") option it offers safety and relative ease for superuser editing using the terminal.

**gksu gedit** is excellent for this purpose and favored by the command-line phobic or command-line adverse.  I after 45 years in this business used it until I discovered **nano**.

My idea⋯offer **gksu gedit $file** or **nano -B $file** with the other as an alternative and leave **sudoedit** alone.

Personally, I would never recommend **sudoedit** to a non-sysadmin.

That's my 12₵ worth (2₵ in '65 dollars)







  


  [1]: http://www.cs-repository.info/
  [2]: http://www.sudo.ws/sudo/sudo.html