Ubuntu has a alternate method to run applications as root :
$sudo command
than enter password of u r user account from which u r login.
u can run commands in terminal with sudo as root privileges or gui applications from terminal as root privilages:
$sudo gedit file
it is a simple way to not login as root and run commands as root privileges in ubuntu.

that isn't the point, any linux system can do that provided the user is in the sudoers file
sometimes, however there is a need in a Linux system for a user to be logged in AS root since running with sudo doesn't load all of root's environment variables and a few other things and the best way to do that is to enable logging in as root, which on many distributions is enabled by default

linux is supposed to be about choice, ubuntu seems to want to take away all choices except the ones THEY make FOR you, which goes against the Linux philosophy, which is why so many people are mad at ubuntu

yes you can run 'sudo su -' to get a full root login as well but sometimes even that's not as good as just logging in as ROOT, either way taking away choices from users who are used to having choice is going to make people mad.

Isn't that a contradiction in itself? I mean, I am using Linux for the choice (at least this is one reason), but what if I would choose that I want Canonical to make the choice for me? Is using Ubuntu really against that philosophy of Linux that I can choose what I want to use, even if it leaves me with less choice than other distros?

Ubuntu has a alternate method to run applications as root :
$sudo command
than enter password of u r user account from which u r login.
u can run commands in terminal with sudo as root privileges or gui applications from terminal as root privilages:
$sudo gedit file
it is a simple way to not login as root and run commands as root privileges in ubuntu.

This is a post from a long time tester, not sure when he started testing but he has done it for years. Very dedicated and good at it.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...3&postcount=18

It is not about "taking away choices" but rather "choosing a sane default." And I think this discussion is lumping together two separate (but related) questions:

1. Most distros discourage GUI login as root. (Puppy is the only one I can think of that has it by default.) This is the sane and rational default. Ubuntu is simply with the majority here (and I agree with their decision).

2. Some distros use 'su' by default, and some use 'sudo' by default. Again this isn't "taking away choices" but simply "choosing a default." Out of the distros I test, it seems like 'su' is the majority, but 'sudo' is a sizable minority. Ubuntu is certainly not the only distro to ship with 'sudo' by default. Many popular and respected distros use 'sudo' and unlike GUI-root-login (which is an open-and-shut conversation as far as I'm concerned) I think it's safe to say there are pros and cons of 'sudo' vs 'su'.

Again I have no problem with Ubuntu disallowing GUI root logins (most distros do this) or choosing 'sudo' (it's debatable) so long as they clearly explain the reasons why and provide alternatives for those who need "choice." Every time the topic comes up on Ubuntu Forums, a moderator links to this article, which answers all questions:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo

If you read the article, you will see that "sudo -i" provides a root shell with root's environment variables.