set up a root password

[Derek Broughton]

Nigel Henry wrote:

> and find myself entering my usual root password, 

tsk, tsk... :-)

> Personally I believe that having a separate root password (which I would
> expect to be more complex, than a plain old user one) is a good idea,

Not if you're using a "...usual root password".

> as 
> on most of my distros, and does give an extra step that a potential hacker
> has to go through to get into your machine, but I suppose if they are
> determined to get in, they will find a way.

It doesn't give an extra step.  They already _know_ the user name, they only
have to guess your password.  Why would it be more complex than a "plain
old user one"?  Passwords are as complex as the user makes them, and if the
user is the sole administrator, the user password is likely to be exactly
as complex as the root password.
-- 
derek