*BSD News Article 87802


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From: doug@qnx.com (Doug Santry)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: make a user root
Date: 29 Jan 1997 10:12:55 -0500
Organization: QNX Software Systems
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Message-ID: <5cnpdn$7p2@qnx.com>
References: <ttt5-2801972101520001@help.schap.rhno.columbia.edu>
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Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:34698

In article <ttt5-2801972101520001@help.schap.rhno.columbia.edu>,
Tim Trampedach <ttt5@columbia.edu> wrote:
>Hello all!
>
>I will soon be getting a Pentium machine to run FreeBSD on and I was
>wondering if it is possible to make a user root in the sense that there
>are no differences when logging in between the two. Since it will mainly
>be a single-user machine, but will have some accounts on (for limited
>access), I want to be able to perform all my system administration on that
>machine when logged in as myself, yet not have root as my eMail address.

I wouldn't recommend it.  When you need to do something, then su.  But
keep yourself at normal permissions for day to day stuff.  This will
prevent yourself from shooting yourself in the foot.

I am *not* insulting you, but as you don't even know how to make yourself
root(set your uid in the /etc/passwd file to 0) it is clear that you would
be safer if you did your normal work as a non-privilged user to prevent
damage...

I know what I am doing and force myself to su to get superuser privs.  Prevents
mistakes...

DJS