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In my home lan, I am currently logged in as root (two consoles) on one laptop; the first, compiling a program; the second, to monitor my free space, this compile takes a lot of space. I am also logged in as root on another laptop also compiling a program. On this desktop that I am typing on I am logged in as me. I do have a terminal session open and I am logged in as root via "su -". I did that just for the heck of it. Oh what the heck, I just Ctrl-Alt-F2'd and logged in as root on another text console. One need not fear root. One needs to log in as root to do a lot of administrative task, how you get there matters not.*Once you have root, regardless of how you got there your can hose your machine. Edit: I also use the same password for root and my user login on my home lan. At the office never. |
Lets get BACK to the OP's question
-- to log in as root or not login as root ,that is the question .... is a DIFFERENT TOPIC Quote:
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I log in as root to do system maintenance, otherwise I use my power user account that has near admin level privileges.
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I use root to do system maintenance (which may include building packages).
Normal operations are under a non-privileged user. It is exceedingly rare that I run a gui as root. |
As long as you have a policy of logging into root only when you have things to do that only root can do I don't see a problem.
It helps if root's WM isn't too fancy since that will give you an incentive to log out of root and back in as a user when you do your user stuff. |
My own attempt to return to the OP's question...
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The best, and only advice is to learn why the root user account exists, then make use of that as and when it is applicable for your own purposes! I could not find a really useful online link to point you to, unfortunately, so let me tell you in my own simplest terms why the root user exists, and I quote myself... Quote:
1. Do your normal computing tasks as a non-root, non-all-powerful user, because it keeps you out of trouble. 2. When you need to do things not allowed to non-root, non-all-powerful users, login as root or obtain root permission via sudo, to do them, with the full knowledge that you can do harm if not careful - just like working under the bonnet of your car. There is nothing more mysterious to it than that. So, with that perspective - should your root user have a different password? Usually, but it is entirely up to you. Because you specifically said that you will have two users, root and a normal user I have to think that your computer is for a single user, probably yourself. If that is the case and others will not have physical access to your system, then you are probably safe enough using the same for both (I often do). On the other hand, if other people will have access to your machine, or if you take it out in public or use it on unsecured networks - why not give root a brain-twister password just for that little extra security? It really is a very tiny inconvenience to type a few extra characters on the odd occasion! Finally, it is possible that the person who told you to never login as root actually meant to say that you should never login as root from a graphical login (i.e., the top level form of saying to never run X applications as root), which is generally good advice. Why? Two main reasons: 1. Because X is not secure, so when you run it as root you give it godlike power to run amok! 2. Everything that you click on with your mouse under X will also have root permission. GUI apps, games, browsers, you name it, simply are not designed with much consideration for restraint when given such power! So when root, stay in a shell environment where you are less likely to do bad things unintentionally! |
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Good idea to log in as root? Well, yes and no -- as a general practice, no (use su - from your own account), sometimes necessary but keep it down to a dull roar. Quote:
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Hope this helps some. |
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I keep it consistent throughout my installs so I can determine the root pw if the normal user is aware of his/hers. cheers, |
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Woow we to start, I guess will be thanking everyone, lots of reply.
I will try to go one by one later and maybe give re-asked if needed. Where I am now: I still don't like the idea to have to remember more password if I don't needed it. That was the king of question I was looking for how people could gain my user password and then well try it as root. But I notice that the application give message "Dont run as root" so it could mean that application could hold data from my keyboard and then transmit, well it will get it when I type the root password to do something.. right? Just I dont know that much about linux as kernel level how it works so maybe there could be someone could gain access to my keyboard data, for example... I have been logging in my X11 as root seen I am on Slackware boot but I haven't being using many programs just getting on with the minimum and trying to get used to and get programs working. from the normal GUI which should not run as root and I have been doing it as root its only a few programs which I was not intended to do it but I had not the time to trying everything working as user-no admin privilege + plus learn about user administrator. Also I looked at the root folder and it look like my old used folder so I thought I may have problem when I am as normal user. I think this is a bad design! This should be the other way a around when you have using you machine as Desktop, I hate when you are at Bank and someone ask you we need to ask you some security questions, I am there what more do you want to ask for? 1000 signs of Identity or more there in front of you! Why to ask you more questions? Its the same with this issue X11 should run all application to minimal security and you give access to what is needed at maintenance time. After logging as root that is the computer should know you are the al mighty not more questions to permissions in my opining. Last months have been much better in that way, like open the terminal and have to look for a command I don't remember or the cd to move in folders. As root is very nice where ever I navigate I right click and there is my terminal to run whatever I told it to run no questions not passwords. Also I find it quite useful to keep space on the desktop what ever terminal I am not using it I am close it down so it I need to again I right click and there is it as root to carry on. Also never was easier to run a VM no need to look for permission groups and all that. I have to say I have enjoy more my slake-ware experience as X11 logging in as root. But after all that dont get me wrong I love the terminal stuff get dont very quickly and I also love shell programming I think its very powerful. I just dont like to keep typing my password several times during the day and I dont like to do everything in only one terminal and I dont want to leave a terminal open just because is the root terminal. I could go all night here but maybe you have even stop ready, all things nagging, I will move to create my user and try all out and find a systems which will be more secure and I still can find my way around! ;-) Thanks |
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