Vote for new Ubuntu Feature---Let's try it again

[alex]

mtyoung wrote:

> I guess I wasn't very clear in the way I worded it the first time.
>
> I am the owner of this Ubuntu machine. It's a personal computer, and 
> not a business desktop.
>
> So, if Ubuntu wants to make me think twice before it allows me to 
> change something, then let it give me a warning message and ask for my 
> root password; instead of making me do research, ask questions on a 
> forum, and take a circuitous route in order to change what was already 
> right in front of me.
>
> Ubuntu already does this, in some places. For instance, when you use 
> Applications>Add/Remove Programs, it displays the following message 
> when you try to apply a change.
>
> /"Administrative rights are required to..."/ and then it allows you to 
> enter your root password and continue.
>
> Yet if I've opened  /boot/grub/menu.lst, figured out what I want to 
> change, then tried to save (save as actually) the changes, it tells me 
> this...
>
> /"Could not save the file /boot/grub/menu.lst.
> You do not have the permissions necessary to save the file. Please, 
> check that you typed the location correctly and try again."/
>
> ...when it could just as easily given me the former response.
>
> Ubuntu seems to be inconsistent in the way that it allows/forces you 
> to accomplish system tasks. Hopefully, if enough of you agree, we can 
> get the former method extended to as many functions as possible.
>
> Thanks for your time,
>
> MTYoung
>
> PS: read the post...
> "Change Permissions on a new hard drive to allow write...Problem Solved"
> ...if you want an easy way to get around these type of problems.

Addressing the problem of editing and saving the changes to an unsavable 
menu.lst .....
Before attempting to save, run the following:

    sudo chmod go+rw /boot/grub/menu.lst

 If asked for a password, enter your user password.

'sudo' gives you the powers of root for this one command  (or whatever 
other command)....What's so
difficult about that?