Author Topic: root  (Read 549 times)

TheKnifeThrower

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root
« on: 8 June 2003, 21:29 »
When I have been using linux I have logged on to the computer using the root account. I have done all my stuff in linux using the root account. Should I be doing this? I have never done anything stupid whilst  using the root account which caused linux to be messed up.

Stryker

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« Reply #1 on: 8 June 2003, 22:00 »
No, you shouldn't.

Just like you should never log into windows with an administrator account, not that it'll protect you much.

[ June 08, 2003: Message edited by: Stryker ]


Master of Reality

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« Reply #2 on: 9 June 2003, 01:38 »
You should create a user account and use that.
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Doctor V

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« Reply #3 on: 9 June 2003, 18:01 »
There is a handful of things you need to be root to do, and its safest and generally best to use root onlt for these.  If you log in as a user and attempt to do one of these things in the GUI, you will be prompted for your root password, and then that process only will happen with root access.  On the command line, as a user you can quickly and easily go into root mode using the simple command 'su' (and then your root password).  Every Linux user will tell you not to use root for everything like that, and you will likely learn why pretty quickly.

V

Faust

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« Reply #4 on: 9 June 2003, 18:03 »
quote:
I have never done anything stupid whilst using the root account which caused linux to be messed up.

Can you expect this to continue indefinitely?
Yesterday it worked
Today it is not working
Windows is like that
 -- http://www.gnu.org/fun/jokes/error-haiku.html

mushrooomprince

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« Reply #5 on: 9 June 2003, 19:12 »
Got Root ?
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Calum

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« Reply #6 on: 12 June 2003, 15:48 »
to find out why you should not log in as root all the time, do this:

1) log in as root
2) create a directory in your home directory, let's call it testdir: mkdir testdir.
3) now cd into that directory and lets create some files in our test directory, like this: touch file1 file2 file3 file4 file5 file6
4) now we will create some directories in here too: mkdir dir1 dir2 dir3 dir4 foldera folderb
5) now let's imagine we want to delete all of the contents of this directory (a common requirement), hmm, well we can't be arsed to do them all one by one, so lets do them all with a one liner: rm -Rf ./*
6) now let us imagine our typing is not entirely accurate, remember spelling mistakes are vrey comnmon when you spend a long time at the computer. Let's assume you added an extra space by mistake back there (perhaps you brushed the space bar by accident?), try typing this instead: rm -Rf . /*
7) well hot damn, i suppose you notice that you just completely erased your entire system, including any other filesystems that you had mounted at the time, well we live and learn eh? if we had been logged in as a normal user, that last command would simply have generated an error message. This is just one of many examples of why logging in as root is not a good idea.
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Faust

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« Reply #7 on: 12 June 2003, 16:12 »
Actually I have some really cool programs you should run as well.  Just be sure to run them as root.  And if your ISP comes around and tells you to stop DoS'ing microsoft and then throws you in jail...  that... er... wasn't me?   ;)
Don't run as root you fool!
Yesterday it worked
Today it is not working
Windows is like that
 -- http://www.gnu.org/fun/jokes/error-haiku.html

KernelPanic

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« Reply #8 on: 12 June 2003, 19:00 »
I love the intentional spelling mistake Calum!
Contains scenes of mild peril.

Calum

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« Reply #9 on: 12 June 2003, 19:47 »
what do you mean? there was no spelling mistake!   :rolleyes:
visit these websites and make yourself happy forever:
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