ubuntu-newbie has loads of questions

[Vincenzo Di Massa]

Alle 15:09, martedì 19 luglio 2005, Arjan Geven ha scritto:
> > iii) password for system-tools
> > when I start some system-tools (device-manager etc.) I need to reenter
> > the password of the current user. Thats strange. why dont I have to
> > enter the root-password instead. would be more safe?
> > and I can even start the root-console without entering any password.
>
> The fact that you, as a user, can reenter the password to gain access
> is intentional. After all, you are also the one that installed the OS
> in the first place. You'll notice that if you create more users, these
> will not have admin-rights by default.
>
> Other users cannot change system settings, thus your own password
> (sudo) is more than enough system security, provided that you make it
> reasonably difficult to guess.
>
> > iv) root does not have X-rights
> > when I start a terminal it opens in the users account and the DISPLAY is
> > set, so I can fire up any X-application like xterm. when I do a 'su -'
> > to become root I cant do any X-stuff anymore, even after setting DISPLAY
> > to the adress of my local X-server.
>
> Root is generally NOT used in Ubuntu. All system management can be
> done via the sudo command, which is generally safer. Therefore, root
> also doesn't need access to X :-).

Try 
# xauth merge /home/<username>/.Xauthority
to let root do X authentication.

>
> Arjan.