I'm using the npm package [express](http://expressjs.com/guide.html#configuration) version 2.5.2 with node version .0.6.5. I appear to be running bash version 4.1.5 on Debian 4.4.5.

I'm trying to run my server in production mode but it still runs in development mode.

I run these commands in my bash shell:

```
$ export NODE_ENV=production
$ echo $NODE_ENV
production
$ sudo echo $NODE_ENV
production
$ sudo node bootstrap.js

```

I have this code inside bootstrap.js:

```
var bootstrap_app = module.exports = express.createServer();
//...
console.log(bootstrap_app.settings.env);

```

and here's what I see printed to standard out:

```
development

```

Is this a problem with my usage, or my system?

**EDIT:**
Thanks to ThiefMaster for his properly identifying that this issue stems from my running node as root. ThiefMaster suggested using iptables to forward from port 80 to an unprivileged port, but my system gives me an error. Moving this discussion to superuser.com or serverfault.com (link to follow)