ok - so i would like to avoid logging in as root as much as possible, but about 80% of the time if I log under some other account, I need root privlages. SU - just doesn't seem to be enough for me.

So - does anyone have any tips they can share on how to set-up an account that has the power of root, but doesn't let a person do anything 'dangerous'?

So I guess I want to be as close as root as possible without being root.

Well, having the power of root implies having the danger of root. A suitable alternative/middleground to the use of the root account is the sudo package. Sudo uses a file (/etc/sudoers) that contains a list of users, groups, and commands. Through this file, you could, for example, give a user full power of root, but require them to re-enter their password. Or, with the (NOPASSWD) option, without re-entering the password. Or you could limit a user to using, say, 'mount'. Or 'ifconfig'. Beware allowing sudo access to an editor: they could edit the sudoers file.

All the user has to do is prefix commands they wish to execute with elevated privileges with the 'sudo ' command. Under gentoo, I can allow a user to install software by giving them sudo access to 'emerge'. The user could then run 'sudo emerge k3b' to install k3b on the system.

Hope this helps!

Of course, if you run you get to be root totally, then type exit to log out of root and be back at your own account. What's wrong with "su", does everything I need it to.

I originally used sudo on a server where we wanted to give many users partially elevated privileges. Hence, the ideal situation of sudo. It also keeps me from "forgetting" that I'm logged in as root after I su.

I use su for longer tasks, but sudo if I just need to do one or two things. And, if sudo is configured to allow you to do ANYTHING without a password, you can do: 'sudo su -' to save some typing. or alias rootme='sudo su -'. 6 characters to root!

In any case, I think sudo vs su is a lot like KDE vs Gnome: they both work, and different people swear by them.