Best solution for silly error?

[GaryTaig]

On 26/07/14 05:09, I wrote:

> Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid
>
> Initially I ran with one user, with admin privileges etc. Since I always
> had to enter the main admin password to authenticate some activities I
> was of the belief that I was generally NOT operating as ROOT.
>
> (Please, if someone writes, "yes, that was correct" I'll breathe a big
> sigh of relief.)

Is anyone able to answer that?

Is it true that when a user has "Administer the System" as one of his
privileges, but the account type is NOT Administrator, then he can 
perform administrative functions when needed, but is NOT operating as 
ROOT (except for those few minutes until the authentication expires).

If that's true, is there a time setting?

GaryT