why not root?

[Gordon Keegan]

> 
> I'm usualy looged on localy as root...and my kde desktop is under root.... I
> keep hearing that this is not good...why?  I find it much easyer to be
> root..then su all teh time to get acces to files and dirs!
> 
> Shold I migrate to another user on my box?
> 


The first (and usually last) time that you accidentally run
"rm -rf *" in the wrong directory (usually / ) will make it
obvious why you don't want to be root all the time.  As you
get more familiar with the system, you become more confident
in what command you are running and what directory you're
running it in.  Inevitably, something gets deleted or overwritten
or edited or modified such that some number of files (usually
the whole system) need to be restored from some sort of backup.

The method I recommend (YMMV - your mileage may vary) is to
use a utility called "sudo" which is available at:

	http://www.courtesan.com/sudo

It allows you to configure who can run what commands as root
and whether they have to supply a password.  Joe Bob says,
"Check it out!"

-- 
Gordon Keegan, M10-10		Phone: (508) 261-4696
Motorola ING			Fax:   (508) 261-5757
20 Cabot Boulevard
Mansfield, MA 02048		email: lgk011 at dma.isg.mot.com

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