Besides these are just presets. You can disable Mandrake Security, install on
"Come on in crackers!" and edit /etc/securetty and get in as root. All this is
is a preset. By default a system should be configured to be pretty secure. Only
an idiot would run thier day to day system usage as root. Yes, I generally have
a few consoles opened su'd to root, and yes, I have a kdesu -c gmc Icon on my
desktop for my root file mangement needs, but I only execute programs as root
when I absolutely must because I know doing otherwise can cause incrediable
damage to my system and/or open up serious security risks.
You can reverse any default setting for Mandrake, but I think a big part of the
reason we all like mandrake is the "slickness" and ease of use of the
installation/admin tools. RedHat's nice, but mandrake has that extra polish.
Recovering RedHat user,
-David Talbot
On Fri, 21 Jul 2000, you wrote:
> Go John!
>
> I agree 100% with you!!
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Aldrich [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2000 1:29 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [expert] Mandrake's Arrogance
>
>
> On Fri, 21 Jul 2000, you wrote:
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Civileme" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Sent: Friday, July 21, 2000 1:34 AM
> > Subject: [expert] RIGHT CLICK--NEW -> Folder
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Are you folks who are complaining running as _root_?
> > >
> > > This is something not to be done, for many reasons, including the fact
> > that you
> > > get kicked from most IRC servers.
> > >
> >
> > I find it arrogant that Mandrake would deliberatly cripple the
> functionality
> > of programs in order to prohibit certain behavior that they have decided
> is
> > inappropriate. This kind of "I know better than you" unwelcomed
> > paternalistic coercion is awfully Microsoft-ish. Is this the direction
> > Mandrake is heading? Yuck!
> >
> Ok. So Mandrake "cripples" some stuff as root to discourage you from
> running as "root." They have also done so in the security levels, and
> I don' t hear anyone bitching about MS-like behavior with regards to
> functionality of some programs under the "high" and "paranoid"
> security levels.
>
> As is pointed out, there is good reason NOT to run as "root." Pretty
> much every distro out there will prevent you from telnetting into the
> box as "root" for security reasons (at least Mandrake and RedHat
> will. I *think* most other distros do as well!)
>
> I think it's a Bad Idea (tm) to cry "microsoft" anytime a linux
> distribution "cripples" something for security reasons. I don't hear
> anyone bitching about not being able to install RPMs as a user, yet
> that's *definitely* an "I know better than you" situation of a
> program being crippled.
>
> My $0.02: Shut up and stop running as "root" unless you're actively
> configuring stuff which requires "root" permissions. If you just want
> to be able to install an RPM or something, open a console window, su
> to root and run the rpm installer.
>
> Stop trying to defeat the security that's inherent in linux and run
> as a "user!"
> John
--
-David Talbot
Those who would trade freedom for security deserve neither. -B. Franklin
