FC11 logging in as root - FC10 change not enough?

[Dave Cross]

2009/10/30 Robert Moskowitz <rgm at htt-consult.com>:
> At times I find I need to login as root.

You really don't.

> For example, as a regular user su to root, then start gedit from that
> terminal session.  Look at all the errors generated.  And at least in FC10,
> I could still change preferences, but in FC11, they all come up grey.  There
> are other things in gnome that don't launch right from an SUed terminal
> session.  So when I want to 'fix' things, I find it better to just log in as
> root.

I think you need to understand the difference between "su" and "su -".

But really you need to get to grips with "sudo" as a better
replacement for "su".

Steps I always take on a new Fedora box to make my life easier.

1/ "su -" to become root.
2/ "visudo" to edit the sudoers file.
3/ Uncomment the first line referencing the "wheel" group.
4/ Save the file.
5/ Edit "/etc/groups" to add myself to the wheel group.
6/ Exit from "su -".

>From that stage on, I never need "su" again. I can do anything I want
(without the errors that you're seeing) using "sudo some_command".

hth,

Dave...