try use of common utils 2 features

.devcontainer/devcontainer.json

@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@
         // provides a name for epics-containers to use in bash prompt etc.
         "EC_PROJECT": "${localWorkspaceFolderBasename}"
     },
+    "features": {
+        "ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/common-utils:2": {}
+    },
+    "remoteUser": "${localEnv:USER}",
     "customizations": {
         "vscode": {
             // Add the IDs of extensions you want installed when the container is created.

.devcontainer/postCreateCommand

@@ -3,25 +3,33 @@
 # if we are using docker then we need to create a user that will write files
 # with the correct user id. podmand runs as root inside but is really using
 # the users' context and all file permissions just work.
-if [[ ${container} != "podman" ]] ; then
+# if [[ ${container} != "podman" ]] ; then
 
-    # create user dev with full sudo rights and make them owner of /epics
-    apt install sudo
-    echo 'dev  ALL=(ALL)       NOPASSWD: ALL' >> /etc/sudoers
-    adduser dev -uid 1000  --disabled-password --gecos "temp devloper user with UID of host process"
-    usermod -aG sudo dev
-    echo "setting uid on writable container filesystem files ..."
-    chown dev:dev -R /epics/links
-    chown dev:dev /epics /epics/ioc
+# TODO - testing replacing this with common utils feature
+# which is much neater for docker but maybe not for podman
+#
+#     # create user dev with full sudo rights and make them owner of /epics
+#     apt install sudo
+#     echo 'dev  ALL=(ALL)       NOPASSWD: ALL' >> /etc/sudoers
+#     adduser dev -uid 1000  --disabled-password --gecos "temp devloper user with UID of host process"
+#     usermod -aG sudo dev
+#     echo "setting uid on writable container filesystem files ..."
+#     chown dev:dev -R /epics/links
+#     chown dev:dev /epics /epics/ioc
 
-    # give the user the same shell config that root would get
-    chmod a+rx /root
-    for f in .bash_eternal_history .bashrc .bashrc_dev_container .gitconfig .inputrc .ssh;
-      do echo "handing $f to dev user"
-      chmod a+rw /root/$f
-      ln -fs /root/$f /home/dev/$f
-    done
-fi
+#     # give the user the same shell config that root would get
+#     chmod a+rx /root
+#     for f in .bash_eternal_history .bashrc .bashrc_dev_container .gitconfig .inputrc .ssh;
+#       do echo "handing $f to dev user"
+#       chmod a+rw /root/$f
+#       ln -fs /root/$f /home/dev/$f
+#     done
+# fi
+
+# make sure the user can build iocs and (mounted in) support modules
+env
+sudo chown ${USER}:${USER} -R /epics/links
+sudo chown  ${USER}:${USER} /epics /epics/ioc
 
 # add user's custom profile container creation script
 if [ -f ~/.bashprofile_dev_container ]; then