Re: /root -> /home/kmfahey; /usr/doc -> /usr/share/doc
On Sat, Dec 11, 1999 at 03:08:33AM -0500, Kerne Fahey wrote
> I have two very vague & general questions:
>
> 1) On my linux box (no other flesh&blood users besides me; it's a laptop),
> I'm interested in emptying root's home directory, removing it, and making
> a symbolic link to my home directory, /home/kmfahey . This is for various
> aesthetic and convenience reasons, mostly so I'm not without my .*rc files
> when root, and so that 'cd' as root takes me to my home directory. Would this
> be a horrible mistake? (Would it be or create a security hole, or *really*
> confuse linux in some way?)
>
This may not be such a great idea; various applications use files in your
home directory (e.g., .forward, .ssh/) and some of these care about the owner
and modes of the files they use, as a security measure. Using the same home
directory for root as for a regular userID may interfere with mail delivery
for one or both depending on your MTA, may result in ssh using the same
secrets for both users (or not working at all for one or the other, or
both). If you do this, make sure you stayt logged in as root when you do,
and then verify that everything you need seems to be working.
It's also a good idea to ensure that root's home directory is on the root
partition, as it can make disaster recovery/maintenance less complicated.
> 2) On that same linux box, I'm interested in [carefully] moving the contents
> of /usr/doc to /usr/share/doc , then removing /usr/doc and creating a symlink
> in its place to /usr/share/doc . This, also, is for various aesthetic and
> convenience reasons, mostly because of the FHS, and because I'd really like
> dhelp_parse to shut up about files in /usr/doc every time I'm apt-getting
> something. Would .this. be a horrible mistake?
>
That should be fine; assuming you don't already have a /usr/share/doc, then
as root,
# mv /usr/doc /usr/share/
# ln -s share/doc/ /usr/doc/
should do it.
John P.
--
huiac@camtech.net.au
john@huiac.apana.org.au
"Oh - I - you know - my job is to fear everything." - Bill Gates in Denmark
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