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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: [PATCH] kdesu dialog simplification
From:       Luciano Montanaro <mikelima () virgilio ! it>
Date:       2003-12-20 9:19:33
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On Saturday 20 December 2003 01:56, Manuel Amador (Rudd-O) wrote:
> El vie, 19-12-2003 a las 09:30, Luciano Montanaro escribió:
> > On Friday 19 December 2003 14:52, Simon Perreault wrote:
> > > Michael Pye wrote:
> > > > I can't believe people are actually discussing doing this. Am I to
> > > > believe that all the participants in this thread so far (bar Waldo)
> > > > are willing to hammer in their root password without being able to
> > > > see what for?!
> > >
> > > Believe it or not, this is the majority.
> > >
> > > > I for one certainly would not.
> > >
> > > Would a "Details >>" button satisfy you? It would satisfy me.
> >
> > If the issue is about security, I don't think this woud do.
> > You want to see exactly the command executed.
>
> I think the Details... button would suffice.  If you're concerned with
> security, click it and be done with it.

Sorry, but I disagree.

>
> The details button has several advantages:
> * it hides complexity

It also hides the command that has to be executed. 
And since the "details" have exactly one field, right now, I see no 
simplification of the interface.
If you think users are frightened by a "Root password" prompt, well, that may 
be, but I think being nervous about typing a root password is good. 
I'd be more nervous if I were not able to see what is supposedly being 
executed.


> * with a Details pane it suddenly becomes easier to provide more
> information: calling process name or PID, credentials of calling
> process, perhaps RPM package name of what's intalled, perhaps whether
> the executable's MD5 sum hasn't changed and it's still valid, maybe
> linked libraries, I don't know, anything that makes easier to audit
> which action prompted the password dialog box.

Sure, at least the process that asked to execute the command should be shown 
everytime.

Luciano

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