Steve Lamb wrote: >Kent West wrote: > > >>And when you need to run an X app? Ah, gotta muck around with Xauthority >>files now. >> >> > > I've yet to see an X app that needs me to have root. Chances are if such >a beast exists I don't need it. > > /usr/bin/synaptic, at least on my box. (Granted, I don't use synaptic, but the point is that some X apps require root; this is just an example.)
>>And when you've got several xterms open, and only one of which is logged >>in as root, and you're switching back and forth and forget which one >>you're in when you type that "rm -rf" command? Sure, you can change your >>root prompt to be red and flashing, to help avoid this, but I'd prefer >>to intentionally do the extra step of typing sudo to prevent this sort >>of mishap. >> >> > > Come now Kent, let's cut the hyperbole. You know as well as I do that >this is just as problematic with sudo. You have several xterms open and you >hit "sudo rm -rf" in the wrong one which is in a completely different path >than the one you intended.... Typing sudo doesn't prevent you from being in >the wrong xterm in the slightest. > I disagree. If I have two xterms open; one seated in /etc/X11 and logged in as root via "su", and one seated in /home/westk and logged in as "westk", and I want to delete /home/westk/fonts, I can type "rm -rf fonts"; if I'm in the wrong window, I've just messed up. However, if the first xterm is not logged in as root, I can type "rm -rf fonts" in either window without hurting myself. If I intend to delete the X11 fonts, I have to do the extra typing of "sudo rm -rf fonts". > In fact it makes it more likely. Doesn't >take a red flashing prompt, just the same information you'd have with sudo. > >[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~} root >Password: >[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~# exit >[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~} > > My prompt tells me the user, machine and path. > Yes, you're right. Still, for me, I find that the small difference in the above prompts is more likely to lead to a mistake than either a garish root prompt or the extra step of using sudo. So for me, sudo does have a benefit on a single-user machine, which is all I'm trying to say. -- Kent -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
