FC11 logging in as root - FC10 change not enough?

[Robert Moskowitz]

Dave Cross wrote:
> 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 -".
>   

Is this better than just adding your userid to the sudoers file?

And I will have to learn a bit about the difference between 'su' and '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".