I've been using Slackware + KDE for two days now, just setting up graphics card (4 hours), second mouse (5 hours), sound (10 mins), and I think I'm finally ready to use it.

I've done what most advice says, and created a non-root account for me, but I keep on getting stuck with things, like it won't play a cd as me, but will as root. Is there some sort of script I can download and run as root to make me a windows-xp style admin: I can install stuff/change configs, but can't do unneeded things like get into other peoles home folder?

I read
threadid=5919 (can't post full url, cos I'm a noob: sorry, seems a bit harsh)
but that seems a bit long-winded and doesn't say how to fix the cd playing options.

Also, would it be OK to just use root anyway, as I am the only user of my computer, and it's not networked?
Thanks for any help,

ch424

it should be ok, as long as its not networked,... but its a bad habit

and you diffidently wouldn't want the win admin stuff, if you can install program, that means you can delete programs, which means you could delete the entire system (or a cracker could if he got into your system while you were root, doing things no root user should ever do (just in case))

anyways, RSBAC is a system that do things like limit root user(s) , but its diffidently not for newbs .. fairly hard to use, but it will work

OK, thanks!

Anything re the CD not working though?

ch424

Don't listen to SciVro when he says running as root
is ok :)

All you need to do is setting up groups for sound
and cd-rom access, chgrp the respective devices
(e.g. chgrp cdrom /dev/hdc , chgrp sound /dev/dsp*,
...) and make yourself a member of those groups.



Cheers,
Tink

OK ...[confused smilie]

Thanks for that, well the concept at least, -- I'll google "chgrp" and get a full instruction booklet


ch424

man chgrp

will also give you the instruction pages on your terminal

OK, a bit more eloquent :)

Create groups for specific purposes:
groupadd cdrom
groupadd audio
(if there's a message saying they already exist don't worry,
no harm done).

Add your user to those groups:
usermod -g user -G cdrom,audio <your username>

Make those groups owners of the relevant devices:
chgrp cdrom /dev/<hdX,scdX>
where the thing in <> is the actual physical cdrom device

chgrp audio /dev/dsp* /dev/mix*
(if you use ALSA those are slightly different, I think it
adds a /dev/snd directory ... )

Next time you login you'll be all sweet :)


Cheers,
Tink

Ah great, thanks alot -- I wan't being sarcastic (I really was gonna google)!

BTW, does
man <program name>
work for anything? I guessed "amixer -h" for help on that, but I don't know if that works with other stuff?

Thanks again,

ch424

man will work for MOST applications/programs ... KDE is
one of the sad exceptions.


Some apps will respond to -h or --help ... in general
you'll find though that the man pages are somewhat
more informative :)


Cheers,
Tink