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List:       kde-look
Subject:    Re: Again - UI
From:       Sven Niedner <niedner () theo-physik ! uni-kiel ! de>
Date:       2000-04-20 14:17:01
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Dirk Hennig wrote:
> I would like some kind of graphical representation for what is mounted where and a
> drag-and-drop to change it. It's just faster then editing some files.

OK, I admit: This is a point for the average home user. Here at
our institute, however, things are different: Beeing a system
administrator, I do not want the users to mess with mount points
and administrative stuff a) because it is not their job, b)
because real users have a tendency to mess these things up, and
c) because in a networked environment every user potentially
suffers from this.

BTW, even Microsoft does something like this, if you look at
WinNT: You need Administrator privileges for a whole bunch of
tasks. This is different in Win98/95, and consequently lead to a
weak security of these systems.

I think the separation of user/admin tasks is very natural to a
user considering a computer as a tool to accomplish a task. Once
configured, he just uses the tool, and that is how UNIX works:
Once you have your configuration in place "rebooting is for
adding new hardware."

If you use a computer as an end in itself you might see things
differently. But then, however, I would recommend everyone to
learn good administrative practice and separate these tasks --
especially with respect to a possible future career in system
administration.

OK, this all was quiete "religious" talk -- the bottomline:
Please resist the temptation to make system configuration
acessible from userland. You then will have enemies in system
administrators from all over the world. Don't get me wrong:
Graphical configuration tool are a good thing -- if run by root.
A graphical interface to sudo would be a good thing, too -- if
combined with good administratvive practice.

Greetings, 

Sven

PS: Please consider the implentation side of these issues, too.
Every programm that has to run suid is a potential security hole.

-- 
Sven Niedner, Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik
Physics of Toroidal Plasmas,
http://www.psychologie.uni-kiel.de/~niedner
Linux is like a wigwam: no windows, no gates, apache inside.

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