[ale] Running stuff as root == bad, was Re: FC13 question

[scott mcbrien]

One of the big problems with other OS'es is that users log in as an
account with administrative privileges.  On those OS'es, when an
application, being run by the user, runs amok (perhaps a web browser
executing badness from flash or java script?), that application runs
amok with administrative rights.  So when the application tries to
mangle system files, libraries, etc. it can because administrators
could also modify said files. That's one example of why you don't want
to log in as root, but there are many more, mostly because desktop
environments like gnome run many many many processes and helper
applications each of which, when logged in as root, is given full
administrative permission to do whatever they want on a system.

-Scott

On Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 7:05 PM, William Fragakis <william at fragakis.com> wrote:
> Nautilus, for one ;-)
>
> GParted can do some interesting things, too, I'd gather but I've never
> tried (to do "interesting things"). Gedit can make your day exciting as
> well. Personally, I can easily do as much damage from the CLI if not
> more.
>
> I do find it easy sometimes to actually have a root Desktop although, on
> this esteemed list, I'm probably in a distinct minority.
>
> If something bad happens, I was never here.
> regards,
> William
>
> On Fri, 2010-07-30 at 18:49 -0400, Drifter wrote:
>> Thanks, this seems to work.
>> But you have to admire the warning label that pops up before the GUI
>> actually appears on the screen:
>>
>> "You are currently trying to run as Root super user. The superuser is a
>> specialized account that is not designed to run a normal user session.
>> Various programs will not function properly and actions performed under
>> this account can cause unrecoverable damage to the operating system."
>>
>> No hint, of course, as to what sorts of programs can cause the damage.
>>
>> Sean
>>
>> On Friday, July 30, 2010 06:13:33 pm William Fragakis wrote:
>> > http://blog.ask4itsolutions.com/2010/04/23/login-as-a-root-from-gui-fed
>> > ora-13/
>> >
>> > Did this a couple of days ago.
>> >
>> > Use at your own risk, owner assumes all liabilites, etc. etc.
>> >
>> > On Fri, 2010-07-30 at 17:32 -0400, Drifter wrote:
>> > > There are times when I need to to things as root that are -- for me
>> > > -- much easier to do using the GUI aps rather than the command line.
>> > > Years ago on a Red Hat install, root actually had a directory in
>> > > /home and I could log into the system as root and have the GUI.
>> > >
>> > > This FC13 install doesn't provide that feature. I can create, as
>> > > root, a directory in /home. That's easy enough.  But what do I have
>> > > to do so that I can log in as root directly just as I log into my
>> > > regular user account? If I try to log in as root now, the system
>> > > just laughs at me.
>> > >
>> > > Clearly I am missing several steps in the process.
>> > >
>> > > Sean
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