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List:       kde
Subject:    Re: Running stuff as root
From:       Jens Benecke <jens () pinguin ! conetix ! de>
Date:       1999-07-24 16:22:16
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On Fri, Jul 23, 1999 at 03:14:26PM +0100, Mike Richardson wrote:

(...)
> One thing that he brought up though, particularly from the point of view
> of someone moving from a single-user Windoze environment to Unix is the
> hassle of needing to be root to do lots of things. It doesn't bother me
> too much, but I can see the point - on a machine that is essentially used
> by a single person then that person has two hats, themselves and root.

That is one issue, yes. The thing is, there are in fact very FEW boxen who
are REALLY used by only one person. I for example know quite a big lot of
people using windows, who don't have a "personal computer" but a "family
computer". And if people start arguing about font settings and themes, that
is where I normally introduce Linux. ;))
 
> I can't see why it would be difficult to implement a KDE application
> which is a wrapper in much the same way as sudo is for the command line,

you've seen kdesu, I presume? This is, IIRC, also a library and an applet,
which can be run like 'su'.

> but before I jump in with both left feet, does anyone have any strong
> viewpoints, clever ideas or whatever about this? If anyone has any
> feedback, I'll have time to cogitate on it in the next few weeks dangling
> around on bits of rope down holes in the ground.........

One thing that had me for the last couple weeks is the option at
installation, or in (any) setup type menu. Can any of you distribution guys
PLEASE seriously consider this?

My suggestion: After installation of the packages, the installer asks the
user whether it is OK to grant normal users additional rights, and sets
these appropriately. For example:

- mounting, unmounting CDROMs and floppies
- issueing "shutdown/halt/reboot/..."
- changing the default desktop environment (a.k.a corporate identity)
- etc.

Something like a group "mount" and setting /bin/mount to "4710 root.mount",
and adding everyone to that group, would be very nice. Same for every other
issue.

-- 
_ciao, Jens_______________________________ http://www.pinguin.conetix.de

Anyone comfortable with using Linux shall use it. | "I'm afraid Linux has a 
Anyone wanting to tell other people what they     |  year-429496 problem"
should be using can go work for Microsoft.        |  -- Kernel mailing list

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