modifying configuration files while logged in as a regular user
 

How do I modify text configuration files while logged in as a regular user? It says I need root permissions but I don't want to login as root everytime. is there any way I can modify the file with another users permissiosn and then just put a password in for that user?

i always log in as root to config, but if you don't like that, then there's a command "sudo". I've heard it does wonders, just never tried. Read up on it "man sudo".

Sudo is a handy utility to run processes that require escalated privileges.
In order to set it up you need, besides installing sudo itself, configure it via visudo command, or editing /etc/sudoers (location of the file might be different with a custom setup) file as root.

Or you can open a Xterm and issue the command su -, then you enter roots password and configure away using vi, pico, joe, any of the text editors. If you notice the -, this gives you roots paths.

HTH ;)