[Sussex] Two operating systems & one camera...

[Nic James Ferrier]

"John D." <johnsemail at f2s.com> writes:

> On Friday 14 July 2006 23:29, Nic James Ferrier wrote:
>> Alan Pope <alan at popey.com> writes:
>> > On Fri, Jul 14, 2006 at 11:06:46PM +0100, Nic James Ferrier wrote:
>> >> "Vic" <lug at beer.org.uk> writes:
>> >> >> (how the hell do I get rid or sudo, or
>> >> >> at least relegate it to the background so I can use the system in the
>> >> >> traditional "root/user" method ???).
>> >> >
>> >> > sudo passwd
>> >>
>> >> That sets root's passwd to something.
>> >>
>> >> But you also need to config sudo so that it asks for the root password
>> >> instead of the user password.
>> >
>> > I don't think the OP was asking for that. I think they wanted to switch
>> > to the traditional "root for admin" "user for use". Where you switch to
>> > root to install stuff for example.
>>
>> Yes. And to do that with the least fuss on ubuntu you need to set the
>> root password and change sudo so that it asks for the root passwd
>> instead of the user password.
>>
>> Then using sudo is just like using:   su -c '...'
>>
>> The only other way he could achieve this is by altering the links to
>> each program from sudo to su. But doing that is unreliable because as
>> soon as the package is upgraded it'll be back to sudo.
>>
>> So instead, config sudo to behave the way you want it to.
>>
>> > I'd agree that sudo is the best way though :)
>>
>> Conventional sudo (user password to authenticate + rules in the
>> sudoers file) is the best way, yes.  /8->
> Well I'd already managed to "activate" the root password and also made it so 
> that I can log into root graphically (sorry, I'm too much a "child of GUI" 
> not to have that ability), but when I did try to change the /etc/sudoers file 
> to that the line that starts with "Defaults" has rootpw in it as well I just 
> all that nonsense about it being a read only file etc.

run the command: visudo


> It really annoys me that "they" have made the "buntu's" work like this - it 
> may well be felt that it's making it easier to use, but for those of use who 
> have been weaned on the traditional root/user methods of admin, the inability 
> to change "it" to work like that is very irritating.

I think the ubuntu people feel that old time hackers can go use debian
or slackware or something. Ubuntu is specifically for the masses.


> Ha! I'll have to go to bloody PC world anyway, as I've run out of CDR's to 
> burn the download too!

Just change line in sudoers with visudo.

visudo is there for a reason, it ensures that only one person can edit
the file at a time, or at least that the edits are consistent. That's
a good thing.

sudo is more secure than su as well. You should perhaps persevere with
it coz once you get used to it - well, you're used to it  /8->


-- 
Nic Ferrier
http://www.tapsellferrier.co.uk   for all your tapsell ferrier needs