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From: Walter Hafner <hafner@suncog13.forwiss.tu-muenchen.de>
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: make a user root
Date: 29 Jan 1997 15:44:53 +0100
Organization: Inst. fuer Informatik, TU Muenchen, Germany
Lines: 65
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <s9n20b44k2i.fsf@suncog13.forwiss.tu-muenchen.de>
References: <ttt5-2801972101520001@help.schap.rhno.columbia.edu>
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Hi
robert@tabby.kudra.com (Robert Sexton) writes:
> 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
It is possible, but it's a BAD IDEA! a REALLY BAD IDEA. Never work as
root if it isn't really necessary.
Example: When installing software, always work as ordinary user and 'su'
only for the final installation step!
> : 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.
>
> This is not really a good idea. (And yes, it can be done). The
> primary reason is that you don't need root priveleges to do most
> of the grunt work of SA. In fact, it's much easier to make some
> sort of regrettable screwup when working as root. For multi-user
Right!
Two weeks ago I (shame on me :-) wanted to tar some files on tape. Easy
enough:
tar zcf /dev/rfd0 *
BUT when you type
tar zcf /dev/rsd0 *
instead ... *sigh* ... At least I had a recent backup.
(First I only wondered how fast my floppy suddenly was. When it came to
me I started screaming ...)
NEVER ever do ordinary work as root!
> In my professional capacity, I've run into system where users used the
> root login as a user login, and it pretty much destroys the systems'
> ability to protect itself from your stupidity. It also leaves the
*sigh*
> 2. sudo
> Actually when you get your groups and sudo stuff set up, its much
> cooler than running around as root.
Right! I have very good experiences with sudo!
-Walter
--
Walter Hafner_____________________________ hafner@forwiss.tu-muenchen.de
<A href=http://www.forwiss.tu-muenchen.de/~hafner/>*CLICK*</A>
Wenn das so weiter geht, gibt es hier in DE bald mehr Internetprovider
als Kunden :)
Martin Imlau <treogem@berlin.snafu.de> in 283.6941T990T1916@berlin.snafu.de