Re: New To Linux
From: Ruediger (ruediger.leibrandt_at_gmx.de)
Date: 02/13/05
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Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2005 02:23:39 +0100
Okay, first a not-so-serious suggestion:
Use an Amiga =) ( Well, I do, but I'm a fetishist )
Permissions and rights with Linux work by this concept:
Every file has an owner, a group and an "all other" set of permissions,
consisting out of the right to read a file, write a file and execute a
file.
A file can be user root and group root, but when yo uhave a look you will
find that the install of Firefox is for "all others" only readable or
executable, but not WRITEABLE!
So you can start Firefox, but you cant make any changes to it's binaries.
All settings are stored in directories in your home-directory ( /home/<user>
)
The concept behind Linux IS confusing for someone accustomed to windows,
stay cool. It was even more confusing for me as I came from the Amiga,
which has a 3*4 matrix of settings ( Owner, group, allother * read, write,
execute, delete ) .
You will find when browsing through the /bin directory of your computer that
nearly all commands have a setting like this
User Read write execute
group Read write execute
others read - execute
owner: root
group: root
Its a standard setting for all files you may use, but not fuss around as a
user, and these settigns apply for most system-directories, too, so you can
browse them, but not modify them unless you are root.
When you want to add a directory to work in outside the home directory, my
choice was placing a directory /local for a big 40Gig partition, giving it
owner root, group intern, settings U: RWE , G: RWE O: ---
as settings, making up a new group called "intern" with only those users in
them which are allowed to have access to the directory.
When one of them writes a file into it ( allowed, as in the correct group) ,
the owner of this file is the user writing the file.
this system is.. well, it is quite secure.. it is in use since almost 40
years now and except for the casual programming-bug there are no flaws in
the concept so far.
In windows you are always an Administrator unless you use explicitely the
guest account, which limits you severely when using older software ( esp.
games ) and which breaks up the accustomed "easy going" of windows when you
have to log on as administrator whenever you want to install some software,
whilst this habit is expected and standard for Linux / Unix.
its 2:20am, I'm off
Windows XP
cc wrote:
> Hello;
>
> I reaized lately taht I have been spending all of my time fending
> off the bad guys on my windows computer. Frankly I am very tired of it
> so I am giving this a try.
> My understanding is that linux is more secure because you cant do
> anything without having to sign in as root. Is that correct? Also unix
> based systems are inherently more secure than windows.
> I managed to get Firefox and Thunderbird downloaded and installed.
> The thing that concerns me is permissions. The ownership and group is
> root. Does that mean I am open or is that what it is supposed to look
> like.
> Go easy on me I am new and desprately want out of windows. If I
> could afford a new mac I would probably get it.
>
> Charlie
-- Hochachtungsvoll Rüdiger
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