Jeez what a flap you all get in.

Have you ever considered it's sometimes easier just to have a look at things with a gui interface.

Thats the only reason why I like logging in as root in X Windows.

I like to have the option.

Believe it or not, but we shady system admins sometimes like to look at a GUI too.

We have tools for that available, even when working on remote servers. SSH with X forwarding for instance.

The PAM module is another fine example of how things can be GUI without running your entire WM as root.

And last, but not least, even KDE makers have realized this, and have their own auth module built in. If you don't believe me, try looking in you menu for 'File Manager - Super User Mode' click on that and up comes a box saying "KDE SU" please enter root password.

Now, I am fully aware that you may be ignorant of all that, but let me reassure you, we all started out like that, so here is a little tip that will go a very long way in teaching you Linux: man pages and info pages

Along with Linux, comes the MAN and INFO pages. To access them, type man command on a.. command line.

Example:

even more detailed information about the ls command can be obtained with this command:

Oohh, before I forget, those man pages come in GUI's too, in KDE, go the RUN COMMAND dialog box and type in #ls for the ls man page, or ##ls for the ls info pages. Wonderful, isn't it.

Au-revoir and happy reading!

I also like _good_ guis but I log in into the WM as my user and then open the GUI as root. man sudo, man sux, man xauth, man xhost,..........

Often people who login as root do it because they haven't searched a lot how to do it properly. Or they simply don't care about security, they just install a firewall and an antivirus. When people will move from windows to linux and keep the bad habits taught by microsoft, we will get a hard job on LQ..
I'm out on this thread.
Bye bye

I used to use File Manager - su all the time in Fedora. I added Kubuntu to a ubuntu install and it's missing. Using the run command I'd have to remember 'kfmclient openProfile...something or other' (the 1 thing I don't love about konqueror)

since I only ever want this for transferring many files to different places quickly I never really solved the problem. I now use Run Command...Run as different user(root) with dolphin. It's a great file manager, easy to use, and very fast

Boy have you all been busy! All I said was don't let that stop you from trying and there's two pages already. To cite what some people have written (I'm not answering everyone):

No, sometimes there are things you're not allowed, even if you only have one account. Windows is practically made to not let you do just about everything. In Linux you are your own god as root.

I don't know where to start with this one, but let me say, you don't minimize the risk by playing with su. When you use su (I do myself actually) you basically are root and all-powerful until you close the terminal or su back. This means that if you can f**k up as root, you certainly can as su. The risk doesn't go away, it's only moved. Besides, it's a not so smart thing, being afraid of ourselves. Then we start looking for responsibility outside of us. I do agree that always running as root might put you in some precarious situations though, but my actual habits don't seem to be the issue here anyway.

Yes, when you want the abilty and flexibility of point and click or drag and drop. This makes some tasks that would otherwise take an eternity take just a few moments. Valid? Didn't think so.

My sentiments exactly. Besides I have never said I will run as root at all times. Sometimes it's just easier though.

Actually, I would like to know exactly where I gave the impression of being completely new at Linux. I have used other Linux distros and lo and behold, they have used root accounts and it has been fine. Yes, I have read books on Linux and am reading books right now. At least when I don't know I have the decency to ask. Besides, using one kind of Linux doesn't make you an expert, so I guess I'll be asking some more in the future.

Also, having written and complained, been useful, advising and the lot of this, does anyone know how to shut off the shrieking sound in mplayer between streams when streaming? No one?

Best wishes
Tillus

Having spewed my poison, I would just take a few moments to say, that I looked to Debian to see if they perhaps was that much less problematic than other distros and it's the best one yet. So far I can't complain.

It seems you misunderstand, the purpose of using su, even when doing graphical stuff, is that it introduces an extra warning.

I'll give you a side by side comparison.

Example 1 (logged on as root)

Go to menu -> System -> User Manager (kuser)

Click on Add user and create a new user with a blank password

Result: user was added

Example 2 (logged on as user)

Go to menu -> System -> User Manager (kuser)

A dialog box pops up, saying "This action requires root privileges" "Please enter root password"

Click on Add user and create a new user with a blank password

Result: user was added

========================

Now the major differences between Example 1 and Example 2 are that when logged on as user:

1/ You are required to enter the root password, alerting you that whatever you are going to do needs root privs because it has a lot of power (to mess up)

2/ a buffer-flow, code-injection or similar may give an outsider access to your logged in account through an exploit in a program you are running. That user, seeing he has got the same privs as you have, can wreak havoc with your files, but he is limited to the same things you are as a user, meaning that he can play with the files in YOUR folder only.

If 2/ would happen with example 2, then he would have had 90-100% control of your machine, the remaining percentages depend on whether or not you can pull the plug (not so easy in a server farm)

moral of the story: running your WM as root is more dangerous.

Like I've said above, I don't use the root at all times. You really don't need to tell me that. That is my whole point and sometimes I'd rather take the risk, being careful, than think myself safe and really complicate things. Do you know how to get rid of the the squeeky noice at he end of streams when streaming?

Are you referring to the same noise you get when you start to play a dvd? It is like a quarter second of static while the decoder switches to Dolby Digital?

Sorry for not having an answer to "squeaky"
I'd like to mention something about the need for logging in as root.
When I first installed Fedora Core 6 last year, I had a bitch of a time getting the modem to work. I was using proper source and compiling using the same steps as in any other distribution. In frustration I had to re-install over 100 times over the course of two weeks trying different things using images of the original installation and some re-installations off the DVD. Because most everything required root privileges, it did'nt take long before I just started logging in as root because it seemed I was spending most of my time typing in the admin. password as most of the steps to install headers, tools, source and the compiling steps required it.
Eventually I downloaded some available updates from Fedora's update site and applied them manually before I was able to get the modem to work, it was nothing to do with the modem source or compiling procedure, moreover, it was the kernel, irqbalance and kudzu updates that finally got it sending and receiving.
Think hard about that folks, try and envision yourself constantly typing in your admin password trying to install necessary software for compiling and many other preparations before compiling in as many as 15 re-installations a day.
Contrary to what most of you think, some of us actually know, there comes a time it only makes sense to log in a root.
I haven't had to log in a root since.
EDIT: Oh! and there's a reason you have the option to do so.

Well said, Junior hacker. I tried installing FC6 and 7 a couple of times myself and it just didn't install on my machine. That's why I tried Debian. It gives you more control over the download. Frankly, I think every distro should use jigdo downloading tool. So far it seems to work propåerly, with just one drawback. You need .deb files to install programs and packages and almost anything, but I'm willing to sell my soul to that if it makes things work and install better. Never thought I'd say that, but there it is.

Take care.

I also believe there are times the password prompt might be overwhelming. In those cases I usually su at the terminal prompt and leave it open until I know I'm finished. That way my x server doesn't acquire root access.

Glad to see your world is a little more simplistic. Bravo!

Okay I'll throw this at you.

We've got these kiosk machines and under Sarge it was dead easy to make changes.

Clt-alt-f1 login as root. Change to init 3 and make sure the windows session was dead then startx again. Unpack the targz that contained the files for the kiosk. Make the changes to files then drop them back in tar file close Xwindows and reboot and that was it. Five minutes worth of time.

Now with etchy I can't get into X windows as root and although some may enjoy sitting around at the command prompt and the dreaded Vi editor I don't.

So is there a way round this???

Which part you are not able to do from an X enviromnent, either using a console and su, or run your fave GUI editor with "run as"?

jlinkels