Re: Squeeze and root in graphical mode

[Lisi <lisi.reisz@gmail.com>]

On Sunday 03 July 2011 15:27:03 Camaleón wrote:
> It is not a good idea to run a GUI session with the root user. It can be
> done, but better if you first explain what is goal for doing it so...

I run Konqueror as root for some file maniplulations on files which are owned 
by root.

I simply don't trust myself not to do:
# cd /
# rm -R  *.*

or copy something trivial on top of something important, or do something else 
disastrous.

With Konqueror I have to mistake the visual representation as well as what I 
am telling the system to do.

I would, however, genuinely like to have it expained to me why 5 minutes of 
running a GUI file manager as root is less secure than running  a root 
terminal for 15 minutes or more.  If I enable root running Konqueror, 
Konqueror is, so far as I can see, the only application that can run as root.  
From the CLI, other applications can be launched, in particular vi, vim. nano 
etc.  The system can be edited, shut down, destroyed (see above!) etc.  A 
file manager can do none of those things.

Lisi