Root Logins in X...

[Dr. Diesel]

On Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 2:13 AM, Warren Togami <wtogami at redhat.com> wrote:

> Let us step back and consider the actual goal of preventing root logins.
>
> We want to stop people from logging in as root on their X desktop
> because it is almost always done out of laziness.  We want to discourage
> these lazy users from logging in as root and using desktop applications,
> which can be a dangerous thing.
>
> The only legitimate reason to allow root login is disaster recovery.
> The case where /home filesystem is full and logins fail, or /home is
> remote and inaccessible are cases where graphical non-root logins can fail.
>
> So why don't we make root logins from GDM a stripped down desktop with
> only a terminal and a menu with only configuration tools?  This desktop
> should be ugly and with a very obvious note explaining why they
> shouldn't be logged in as root.
>
> Benefits?
> - Educates the users.
> - Prevents future stupid flame wars.
>
> Just a thought... I don't particularly care what happens here.  I never
> log in as root on X.
>
> Warren Togami
> wtogami at redhat.com



Who are we to police log-ins anyhow?  If they are too lazy and completely
hose the system that is their problem.  I frankly find it quite irritating
that a couple of the servers stuffed away in my locked server room that are
only accessible my me, only accessed once in 60-90 days, can't sit there
logged in as root.

What's next?  We going to force Gnome, Firefox, SElinux, etc cause we feel
it is safer?

We are about choice, ask the user during install if he/she wants to prevent
root logg-ins.



-- 
projecthuh.com
All of my bits are free, are yours?  Fedoraproject.org
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