can't run gnome as root - addition

[Mark Widdicombe]

On 2 October 2012 13:16, Lentes, Bernd
<bernd.lentes at helmholtz-muenchen.de> wrote:
>
> Colin wrote:
>>
>> On 2 October 2012 10:14, Lentes, Bernd
>> <bernd.lentes at helmholtz-muenchen.de> wrote:
>> >
>> > Thom wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >> On Mon, Oct 1, 2012 at 3:30 PM, Lentes, Bernd
>> >> <bernd.lentes at helmholtz-muenchen.de> wrote:
>> >> > Luan wrote:
>> >> >> On Mon, 2012-10-01 at 17:28 +0200, Lentes, Bernd wrote:
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> Sorry, i forgot: i'm running LTS 64bit.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> try:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> $sudo passwd root - to enable root
>> >> >>
>> >> >> and:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> $sudo passwd -l root - to disable root account.
>> >> >
>> >> > i did this already. But logging on Gnome using the root account
>> >> > didn't suceed. After logging on I have a turning wheel
>> for half an
>> >> > hour, than I gave up.
>> >>
>> >> Enabling the root user won't be enough. You're going to
>> have to change
>> >> LightDM (assuming that this is your DM) preferences and
>> possibly pam
>> >> preferences too.
>> >>
>> >> Why can't you use sudo/gksudo/pkexec as NoOp suggested?
>> >>
>> >
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> > i'd like to use Gnome. Why i don't use sudo ? Because i'm
>> used to not use it.
>> > I'm using Suse boxes for more than 10 years, and Suse does
>> not make this sudo staff.
>> > But now i have one piece of software for which i get only
>> support running on Ubunto or Centos.
>> > I decided für Ubuntu.
>> > One argument for not logging on as root is the argument,
>> that you can easily make heavy errors.
>> > Well, i'm not using Ubuntu and Suse as a desktop
>> environment, for this purpose i use Windows.
>> > So, when i log in in a linux box, it's just for
>> administrative purpose.
>> > When i'm causing trouble, it's my problem. I know that.
>> > On my suse boxes, i do 95% of my administrative tasks using
>> a shell, not having a DM.
>> > But i'm new to Ubuntu, so in the beginning it's likely that
>> i want use the DM from time to time.
>> > When i'm used to Ubuntu, the DM will be uninstalled.
>>
>> If you are only going to use the DM occasionally then I think it will
>> be easier to learn how to use sudo and gksu to do what you want than
>> it will be trying to get the UI to run as root.
>>
>
> Hi,
>
> why do i have to adapt the OS ? I think the OS should adapt to the needs and wishes of the user as far as possible.

Of course you have to adapt to the OS.  There is a limit to the amount
of configurability it is possible to build in from a practical point
of view.

> I KNOW that it is not the recommended way to login to X as root, but i did it often and never got any problems.
> It's my box, and if i'm making an error, it's my problem.

If you know it's not recommended why do it?  sudo is extremely easy to use.

> The only error i did happened on a terminal, not in a GUI.
> I'm not used to sudo and all ist friends, and i don't like to use it.
> In a car the blinker is always on the left side, and no manufactur installed it on the right side, expecting that all the drivers will adapt.

Try Toyota,--had a hire car once and every time I signalled a turn the
wipers came on.

> OS like suse, RedHat, fedora also don't use this way with sudo, so it can't be dangerous. I can't imagine that these distributors will provide a inherent unsecure OS.

Why are you using an OS you clearly don't like, instead of ones that
you obviously perceive as superior?