I am wondering if there is a convenient way to assign a password to certain files, namely OpenOffice.org documents. Normally, I would just change permissions, but that makes the documents a real bother for me to access: logging in as root and opening from command line. Is there a way to allow for a dialog box to appear asking for a password whenever I open these files or some similar method?

If you use KDE, you can use KGpg to encrypt the file. Make sure you delete the original and remember the password. I just tried it on mine and it worked fine. Gentoo and using KDE 3.5.2.

Hope that helps

oo has a "password protect" feature, but its not very good. backup the stuff to disk and then wash or scrub your harddrive.
operator

Perhaps some more information might be helpful:

1. What is the Home vs. Office, LAN vs. stand-alone context we are talking about here?
2. What kind of files are you talking about?
3. How sensitive are they?
4. Who are you trying to protect them from?
5. What kind of access do they have to your computer?

You can also check out using dm-crypt to encrypt the partition where the files are to be stored. Personally, I encrypt my /home and store my personal items there.

Sorry for not elaborating earlier. It seems silly, but I have had trouble in the past with people breaking into my computer. I will be moving into a shared apartment that will often receive many visitors. This is just for my stand-alone desktop computer. The documents are not highly sensitive, but they are important, and I simply want to keep people from tampering with them. Basically I need a second line of defence if someone happens to watch me type in my regular user password or if I forget to lock the screen before leaving my desk. I think I will stay away from encryption, because I want to be sure that I, myself, won't accidently lose access to the files.

More of a social problem than a technical one.

1 of the truisms of computers is "physical access == ownership", I think encryption is the only sure way to keep intruders out. I also understand your reluctance to use it. Besides, what is to prevent someone really malicious from doing an rm -rf /?

How well do you trust your new apartment mates? Will they keep out of your stuff & more important, do they feel any responsibility for policing their guests' behavior?

Can you place the machine w/ your back to the wall?
Can you train them to deliberately & obviously look away or shield their eyes when you enter your password? (Here in Houston at HLUG this proper etiquette at our weekly workshop.)
Will you feel foolish asking people to look away when you enter your password?

You need to learn to NOT leave it unlocked & unattended, just like you lock your doors. Make it a habit. You're no longer living in the cyber equivalent rural America (or wherever), where you can leave your front door open & the keys in your car.


On the technical side:

Will OOo password protection cover enough types of files to suit you? Or do you have plaintext files as well?

Change you password more often.

Activate the locking feature in your screensaver.

...

there is only 1 security. keep the risky person away!
operator

Definitely so. Use a maximum of 3 minutes to automatic locking (works well here). Furthermore, there is a feature which uses the mouse for instant locking, e.g. when you move the mouse pointer into the upper right corner (or somwhere else). That should be easy enough to get quickly used to.

Another way might be the sleep modus (ACPI) of your computer...

how about
# man gpg