Re: Why Linux will never win against windows

From: Andy Fraser (andyfraser31_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 08/25/04 

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 18:23:22 +0100

In alt.linux, filesiteguy uttered these immortal words:

>>>From what I've heard and read the user runs entirely as root.
>
> Here's the answer:
>
> http://info.linspire.com/askmichael/question9.htm

Thanks for that. It's better than it was but they shouldn't give the option
for users to run as root (if that's what it means). Does it default to root
and leave the user to create and use a user account? If so, you can bet
that a lot of newbies will leave it as it is and run as root.

>>One complaint from newbies coming from Windows is that they have to keep
>>switching to root or enter the root password to admin their box and
>>install and remove software.
>
> I resemble that remark!

Eh?

> I agree it is a pain initially, but having a
> dialog box come up in KDE or simply starting Konsole as root is really
> not that big an issue.

Maybe not for you and me but believe me it is for some. I've read the posts
and had the conversations.
 
> My only problem is "when" to run as root vs. do things under my user
> account. There seems to be a bit of tribal knowledge in this regard.

Never, ever run as root. Use sudo, kdesu or su. 

-- 
Andy.

Relevant Pages

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  • RE: unable to login as user
    ... unable to login as user ... Log in as root and look closely at the user account. ... the system just seems to hang and then go back to the username ...
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  • Re: which PC
    ... And this is a compliment aimed at Randall, ... us all exactly how an "Average User" in OS X who needs system Root ... User account was created in the standard fashion (eg, ... (eg, System Preferences) ...
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    (comp.security.unix)
  • Re: cant login as root
    ... > Peter T. Breuer wrote: ... >> should ever want to log in as root for. ... > Says Peter Breuer, once again trying to sneeze his brains out his ears. ... If you're root you create and maintain a user account. ...
    (comp.os.linux.setup)