Allow User to Set Priority

321 · 07-24-2006, 12:48 AM

Is there a way to allow a non-root user to set the priority of a program?

blackhole54 · 07-24-2006, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 321

Is there a way to allow a non-root user to set the priority of a program?

A regular user can decrease priorty (increase "niceness") but not increase it for his own processes. Take a look at the nice and renice commands. I believe a normal user can also do this from within the top command.

You can also give a normal user the ability to run renice as root in the sudoers file. Whether that is a good idea is another question.

raskin · 07-24-2006, 01:10 AM

try sudo, maybe?

Tinkster · 07-24-2006, 01:11 AM

Only to decrease them ... no sys-admin in their right mind will allow an
ordinary user to hog CPU. If you set your mind to it you could probably
come up with a cunning sudoers entry, but I wouldn't recommend it. In the
end you'll have two users both trying to get -19 and the machine won't be
very snappy for anyone.

Cheers,
Tink

raskin · 07-24-2006, 01:16 AM

Well, accurate sudoers entry allows to set, say only 20 through -7. And maybe the situation discussed is on the box with no simultaneous logins.