dapper sudo

[Christofer C. Bell]

On 7/5/06, ubuntu at rio.vg <ubuntu at rio.vg> wrote:
>
> I put forth that it most
> definately _is_ an Ubuntu issue, since Ubuntu does not set a root
> password during installation, and discourages anyone from setting one
> later.  Since this is different from virtually every other distro and
> *nix, I believe it qualifies as an Ubuntu issue.

No, it's not an Ubuntu issue.  If you want a root password, then set
one.  The entire point of Ubuntu is "people should have the freedom to
customise and alter their software in whatever way they see fit."  If
you want to "alter your software" so as to have a root password, then
set one.

Personally, there are only two benefits I see to setting a root
password: it makes file transfers between systems using rsync and ssh
(and I would assume other backup schemes) easier because you can use
the root account to do so.  Also, it locks a malicious user out of the
system (barring the ability to boot off a CD) that's trying to drop
the machine to single user mode to get a free root prompt.  Perhaps
there are others, but they're not ones that come up in my day to day
use of the system.

Your issue with sudo is the result of having a misconfigured machine.
The presumption is that one uses sudo to administer a machine that has
the clock set correctly.  It's a problem that's fixed easily enough
regardless.

As for readers of the list telling someone they "don't understand
sudo" I can't really speak to that since a.) I don't know the
particulars of the issue and b.) it's the Internet.  Take what you
read with a grain of salt, particularly where community support is
being offered. A lot of people defend the locking of the root account
because it is, by and large, a good idea.

And don't forget that this is a user list, we don't set, make, or
enforce system adminstration policy for those using Ubuntu.  If you
want to have a personal policy of "set a root password" then do so.
The "reactions on this list" in no way reflect on Canonical or the
Ubuntu core team that makes design decisions for the operating system.

-- 
Chris

"I trust the Democrats to take away my money, which I can afford.  I
trust the Republicans to take away my freedom, which I cannot."