Shutdown option for Normal User

Jeff Vian jvian10 at charter.net
Sat Mar 4 02:30:44 UTC 2006


On Thu, 2006-03-02 at 09:25 -0700, Robin Laing wrote:
> Leslie Satenstein wrote:
> > Here is my concern.  With Gnome, and KDE, the normal user (without root 
> > privleges) can do a logoff and/or shutdown. I can see  logoff being 
> > permitted, but should he be able to do a shutdown without being prompted 
> > for the root password?
> > 
> > OK, so he can do it. If we take it way, he can still do a shutdown via 
> > the on-off button on the unit. Both Core4 and Core5 respond to a 
> > microsecond depress on the power supply button to initiate a shutdown.  
> > My crawling grandson, with a curious finger did one for me yesterday.  I 
> > believe that if possible, the power button the the power supply should 
> > be timed so that at least a 1 second depress will trigger a normal 
> > shutdown, and the prolonged 4 second depress will let the bios do it's 
> > dirty thing.
> > 
> > Leslie
> > 
> 
> Having had both my UPS and computer shutdown at different times by my 
> kids, I now cover the UPS swich (push button) with very heavy tape. 
> It has to be removed to turn the UPS off.
> 
> On my computer, I built a finger guard that makes it impossible to 
> "accidently" push the power or reset buttons.  Of course it also makes 
> it hard to do this when you want to which with Linux is rare anyways. 
>   I would prefer that the power button be returned to the rear of the 
> computer.
The last machine I had with a power switch even near the rear was an old
286 that had the switch built into the side of the power supply and it
was at the rear edge of the case side.  This was pre-AT days.

Feel free to modify any case you have to put the switch wherever you
want.  After all, it is a MOM switch and the leads allow it anywhere you
choose.
> 
> Kids love pushing buttons.  At least their fingers are small enough 
> that they cannot do the three finger reboot. :)
> 
For those who do not already know, most BIOS have an option on the
setting for the power on switch.  It can usually be set to "instant off"
or to require a 4 second delay before it powers off.  The newer boards I
have gotten seem to default to "instant off".

For the reason you quoted, I habitually set mine to utilize the delay
feature.  The wee ones do not usually hold the button for 4 seconds
continuous as required for a shutdown with that setting.

> -- 
> Robin Laing
> 




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