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- Newsgroups: comp.os.linux
- Path: sparky!uunet!gatech!destroyer!ubc-cs!unixg.ubc.ca!kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca!sspiff!dje
- From: dje@sspiff.ampr.ab.ca (Doug Evans)
- Subject: Re: Logging as root....bad idea?
- Organization: Edmonton, Alberta
- Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 14:53:32 GMT
- Message-ID: <1992Jul23.145332.1393@sspiff.ampr.ab.ca>
- X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
- References: <9TP8NB3w165w@ssg.com>
- Lines: 36
-
- unixsys@ssg.com (Rick Emerson) writes:
- >c3460344@fsu1.cc.fsu.edu (C3460344) writes:
- >
- >>
- >> I use Linux on my PC at home. It is in no way connected to any other
- >> machines, and I am the sole user of it. Is there anything wrong with
- >> loggin in as root all the time? Someone mentioned that it was a bad idea
- >> because you can delete/modify ANY file. Well, what else would someone want
- >> but total controll over their system? I have access to all of my DOS
- >> files...what's the big deal?
- >>
- >
- >Root has god-like powers. When you sign on as a mere mortal and do
- >something silly, there's a chance the system will simply smite you for your
- >folly. Do it under root and... oopsie! Do yourself a favor and be mortal
- >where possible. <grin>
- >
- >Rick
-
- I second this. Stay out of root except when you absolutely have to!
-
- EG: shutdown, editing /etc/passwd, and other maintenance stuff.
-
- DOS gets away with this partly because one can undelete a file
- if one discovers one's mistake in time. With Unix(incl. Linux) that
- ain't so easy. Some people have versions of rm that work like the
- Macintosh trash can: the deleted files get moved to a temporary place
- so they can be recovered if the deletion was in error.
- But "rm" as shipped doesn't work like that.
-
- You're only human and you *will* delete a file or make some other
- silly mistake. Use the protection features of the o/s to protect
- you from yourself.
- --
- Doug Evans | "You're just supposed to sit here?"
- dje@sspiff.ampr.ab.ca | - Worf in a mud bath.
-