Nine linux questions

From: user245(AT)hotmail.com (_at_ignorethis.com)
Date: 12/10/03 

Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2003 13:17:46 GMT

I've got some issues with RedHat9, hopefully someone can point me
towards the right direction. Web searches have not been helpful so far.

1. How do I install new hardware without rebooting? I plugged in a usb
  camera and would like to know the command line/gui command to make it
work, sort of like Windows "Add/Remove Hardware."

2. How can I change the path on root? I dont know where its .profile
file is as it has no home folder. Sometimes when I do an su I can even
run ifconfig. Also can I just do a SUDO that lasts 10 hours or so, when
I know I'll be doing a lot of installing and changes?

3. What is the "best practice" when installing software? Should I just
be content to leave the stuff in /home or should I be putting them in
one of the /bin directories?

4. Is there a wireless driver that lets me save multiple keys for
multiple access points and automatically scans for open APs like WinXP's
wireless manager?

5. How can I get root priveldges while using Gnautilus? I'd like to be
able to edit .conf files and such within the GUI framework. Mandrake
has a file browser with root privs but I have not seen this anywhere on
RH9. I guess I can login as root, but that doesn't seem like much of a
solution. Of course I can SU while in a term window but then I'm stuck
using apps like MC and Nano while the nifty GUI apps go unused.

6. If I generate my own SSL cert for S/MIME will others be able to use
it without security warnings saying it not might be me?

7. Just out of curiousity, why does whereis work so fast? Does Linux
keep a database of where every file is stored? I'm using Ext3.

8. Is there a document explaining why the filesystem is setup as it is?
For instance why is there both /bin and /sbin? What does /usr stand
for? etc

9. Can I create encrypted directories/folders? Does GPG do this?

Any info would be greatly appreciated. 

-- 
Mike
Block Banner Ads Now
http://everythingisnt.com/hosts.html

Relevant Pages

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