security
 

hi,

i'm just starting to find my way around my Debian machine,i.e configuring and running my web server(apache+php+mysql).

i have this security issue: for now(logged as a normal user not root), i can only edit and save my files as a root user using vi in the terminal.

how can i be able to create files logged as a normal user even if i have to provide the root password first.

This depends on what folder you're saving them in. For example, you should be able to create and save files anywhere in your home folder. Anywhere else (except perhaps other users' home folders) requires root privileges, but it is always possible to create a subdirectory that does not require such privileges. Just be sure you know what you're doing.
cheers,
jdk

which means i have to always log as root to create a file in, for example, /var/www?

If you want you can change the permissions of the directory to allow your user to edit the files there.

let me try it.

out of interest question;

i'm having problem with this apt-get update command( on Debian):

it couldn't run but give out this error message:

W: Failed to fetch http://volatile.debian.org/debian-volat ... ce/Sources Cannot initiate the connection to volatile.debian.org:80 (2001:610:1908:a000::149:227). - connect (101 Network is unreachable) [IP: 2001:610:1908:a000::149:227 80]


any help?

You should not have hijacked unrelated thread for your issue though you are the OP of this thread. It helps mods to keep forum clean if threads are kept at one place and all the posts are related.
Anyhow, are you connected to internet? And are you running it as sudo?

As far as I know hijacking involves other LQ members than the OP drawing away attention from the original post.
Any original poster should be able to ask additional questions in her or his thread without being accused of "hijacking".
It just is up to us if we want to answer them or point to the practice of creating a new thread for unrelated issues.

That is not an error; it's a warning. It's unhappy with one of your repos in the /etc/apt/sources.list file. Either that server is down temporarily, or you were not connected to the network when you ran apt-get command, or the line referring to it is ill formed in some way. You can try a server from another mirror.

If you're still not sure, then post the contents of your sources.list file.
cheers,
jdk

here are the contents of sources.list

This is your problem. All your repos are on the original CD. You need to change that. A typical lenny sources.list file might look like this:
You can switch to another mirror if you like but that should sort out most of your apt-get (or better, aptitude) problems.
Cheers,
jdk

i've modified the sources.list to this, but still there is no success:

this is what i get:

You do have a working internet connection, yes?
jdk

probably yes, i'm using the same machine to post in the forum.

Are you behind a firewall/proxy?