Re: An experiment in backup
"Kevin O'Gorman" <kogorman@gmail.com> writes:
> On Sat, Jan 17, 2015 at 9:08 AM, Curt <curty@free.fr> wrote:
(snip)
>> I haven't been following your thread, but it is highly unrecommended
>> to be root when you startx.
>>
>> <[🔎] slrnmbl5p5.22m.curty@einstein.electron.org">https://lists.debian.org/[🔎] slrnmbl5p5.22m.curty@einstein.electron.org>
>
> I'm trying to learn here, so it would help if I knew why, or at least got a
> link to such an unrecommendation.
root is dangerously powerful, so if you don't need those powers it's
best not to risk accidentally doing something harmful. startx can lead
to a bunch of code doing a bunch of things, if as root without the usual
permissions-based safety net surrounding normal users. It's like a
chainsaw: sure, turn it on when you feel aware and awake and need its
cutting power, but otherwise leave it turned off. Likewise, briefly
become root for doing necessary things only root can do, otherwise act
as a normal user and the permissions system will then sometimes save you
from various silly mistakes.
-- Mark
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