I'm going to get flamed for asking this but...
 

Not stricy=tly a slackware question

I am installing zenwalk linux on my sons PC, and have set a root password, I have also created an account for my son.

When I created his account it required a password. (here it comes) I would like to remove this requirement for a password, so my son doesn't need a password.

I believe this can be done in slackware...

Everything I have read on the net points to pam to achieve this, but slackware and zenwalk don't use pam

I have removed the password from /etc/shadow and removed the x from /usr/passwd for his acocunt but now I can't login at all from gdm.

I realise this is a security risk, but I don't want to set passwords on his account.

Thanks

Stuart

I think it works like this: first create a new user like you usually do, then run
as root. The -d switch means "delete", and should remove the password from the given user account, so after that -- if I'm not mistaken -- you could login by just giving your username and not be prompted for a password.

EDIT: of course you should never just run some passwd commands other people tell you to run :) it's like giving out your bank card PIN to the first fellow asking..instead you could read

Code:

---

passwd --help

---

and see what the switches do. It sure is insecure not having a password on an account, but if you insist on it..well, it's your choice.

Check out KDM's autologin feature. In runlevel 4 you can let a user account be logged in automatically without the need to type a password.

To configure this, open the KDE control center, go to System Administration > Login Manager, and in the tab "Convenience" configure the account that you want to auto-login passwordless.

Eric

This thread tells you how to 'autologin' to a console, which can then result in an X session, if required:

cheers,

I set my son's password to nothing so all he has to do is press enter after he puts his name in the user space at the KDM screen. All I had to do to do this was press enter without entering a character in the password portion of the kuser utility.

yeah it seems to be the zenwalk user gui requires a password.

if I create a users with useradd or issue passwd [username] I can set a blank password

Yes it requires password. But you can set autologin for you son in
gdmsetup.

btw, please don't keep topics like "I am gonna get flamed for this ...." , doesn't help later on when somebody searches for auto login and doesn't find this thread.

autologin passwordless login /bin/login kdm gdm xdm
 

:-) :-)

autologin passwordless login /bin/login kdm gdm xdm

And....

I noticed no flames.

Could it be?

The mythical "Slackware Users" are actually helpful? And don't mind helping other distros when asked?

I say that's even more points towards SW being my distro of choice...

Believe me I realise how helpful the members of this board are! I always get a helpful response to any question I ask, and very quickly aswell.

I wouldn't have had nearly as much success with slackware, without help from everybody here.

I didn't seriously expect any flames from asking this, just trying to provide a humourous title, to something that I consider and probably many others consider to be a serious faux pas on security!

Well it's not that much of a security risk if:
-You unplug that computer,
-wrap a chain around the computer,
-pour cement over that computer.
The most secure system in the world regardless of passwords.

No serius, if you don't have a password than at least make sure not daemons are running, like sshd etc. Then you should be ok, or at least not let your firewall forward ports to these daemons from the outside world. I did this the same for my brother in a hurry and noticing that nothing have happened(yet) I did not yet set his password and configured an autologin(no time).

As mentioned earlier, an autologin setup is probably better than setting a blank password. Having the system autologin only really makes it a local security threat, whereas having no password whatsoever makes it a global, internet-ready security threat.

Well, a global, internet-ready security threat running (a Slack-derived distro of) linux, which is better than other options. Still, for peace of mind, I too would suggest the autologin feature of kdm/gdm. I set my computer to autologin everytime I'm going to be gone for the weekend or something, so that my girlfriend (who is brilliant, but not tech-savvy) can shutdown and startup or, more likely, recover from a power failure. She always has access to the computer, and some degree of security is there.

I haven't played with zenwalk in a while, but it does use gdm last I knew, and doesn't by default run too terribly many daemons that would be a security risk; I think sshd might be a default, as is inetd, so the risk is there without a password. Just a word to the wise.

comeon man .. give her an account ...