[Question] Compiling as root

hbinded · 06-02-2006, 04:09 PM

What is the difference of compiling software from source as root and as an unpreviledged user? I've been compiling some stuff as root, but so far I haven't got any problems save for xscreensaver. Does it make any difference?

zhangmaike · 06-02-2006, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Does it make any difference?

Yes, it does.

As an unprivileged user, if anything goes wrong or if you encounter a malicious program (such as a virus), the only thing that could be damaged is your home directory.

As root, if anything goes wrong or you encounter something malicious, you could cripple your entire system.

Don't use the root account unless you ABSOLUTELY have to do so.

Brian1 · 06-02-2006, 05:18 PM

The more you are not root the less chance something can go wrong. It can be possible that an installer can see if you are root and then run some not so nice scripts. Or they could have a bug in thier script that does something that otherwise would not have happened as a user. After many lines of code a syntax issue can happen.

Brian1