su

[sam owens]

I'm using Redhat 8 and can't figure this one out. If I don't log in as
root I can't save a document of any type. If I'm in a terminal I know too
su and I can save then in terminal but if I'm running say, Open Office
or something I can't save the file. Now If I su before I startx then
KDE starts which is fine but I try too and want too use Blackbox as a
rule.
Does that make sense? Does to me...Ha Ha!!

What I'd like to know is how I can save files not being root in X and I
don't want to put in roots password everytime I start kppp.

Hope someone can help!!
Thanks,

Sam

[Raghu Vadapalli]

check the parent directory or to that matter check your home directory
owner to see if you own it. just a check .


sam owens wrote:
> I'm using Redhat 8 and can't figure this one out. If I don't log in as
> root I can't save a document of any type. If I'm in a terminal I know too
> su and I can save then in terminal but if I'm running say, Open Office
> or something I can't save the file. Now If I su before I startx then
> KDE starts which is fine but I try too and want too use Blackbox as a
> rule.
> Does that make sense? Does to me...Ha Ha!!
>
> What I'd like to know is how I can save files not being root in X and I
> don't want to put in roots password everytime I start kppp.
>
> Hope someone can help!!
> Thanks,
>
> Sam
>
>

[sam owens]

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 03:46:09 +0000, Raghu Vadapalli wrote:

> check the parent directory or to that matter check your home directory
> owner to see if you own it. just a check .
>
>
>Your Right. If I save it in home I'm OK. Gotta look into those issues.

Thanks,

Sam

[Paul Lutus]

sam owens wrote:

> On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 03:46:09 +0000, Raghu Vadapalli wrote:
>
>> check the parent directory or to that matter check your home directory
>> owner to see if you own it. just a check .
>>
>>
>>Your Right. If I save it in home I'm OK. Gotta look into those issues.

"Those issues" are called file permissions. Thay are there to keep you from
ruining your Linux installation. The solution is to save your documents in
your home directory.

--
Paul Lutus
http://www.arachnoid.com

[sam owens]

>>>
>>>
>>>Your Right. If I save it in home I'm OK. Gotta look into those issues.
>
> "Those issues" are called file permissions. Thay are there to keep you from
> ruining your Linux installation. The solution is to save your documents in
> your home directory.



I looked into those issues and decided I don't want to save everything in
my home folder. If I create something I want to save it where I want.
Isn't that the whole purpose? So, I need to look into permissions, I
suppose.
Unless, that isn't allowed for "my protection".
I'm not talking about screwing up an essential file.
Anyhow thanks for your reply
Sam

[Paul Lutus]

sam owens wrote:

>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Your Right. If I save it in home I'm OK. Gotta look into those issues.
>>
>> "Those issues" are called file permissions. Thay are there to keep you
>> from ruining your Linux installation. The solution is to save your
>> documents in your home directory.
>
>
>
> I looked into those issues and decided I don't want to save everything in
> my home folder. If I create something I want to save it where I want.

Very dangerous. If you save files in /tmp, the system will erase them for
you on a regularly scheduled basis. If you save files in /dev, it will only
be a natter of time before your system crashes totally and utterly. Same
for /proc. These are root-access areas, not file repositories per se.

> Isn't that the whole purpose?

No, it isn't. The "whole purpose" must include keeping the computer from
crashing and losing your work.

> So, I need to look into permissions, I
> suppose.
> Unless, that isn't allowed for "my protection".

This isn't about Big Brother. It it about common sense.

> I'm not talking about screwing up an essential file.

That won't keep you from doing it. Even seasoned professioals do not use
root permissions for any longer than a specific maintenance task requires.

--
Paul Lutus
http://www.arachnoid.com

[Paul Lutus]

sam owens wrote:

>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Your Right. If I save it in home I'm OK. Gotta look into those issues.
>>
>> "Those issues" are called file permissions. Thay are there to keep you
>> from ruining your Linux installation. The solution is to save your
>> documents in your home directory.
>
>
>
> I looked into those issues and decided I don't want to save everything in
> my home folder. If I create something I want to save it where I want.

Very dangerous. If you save files in /tmp, the system will erase them for
you on a regularly scheduled basis. If you save files in /dev, it will only
be a natter of time before your system crashes totally and utterly. Same
for /proc. These are root-access areas, not file repositories per se.

> Isn't that the whole purpose?

No, it isn't. The "whole purpose" must include keeping the computer from
crashing and losing your work.

> So, I need to look into permissions, I
> suppose.
> Unless, that isn't allowed for "my protection".

This isn't about Big Brother. It it about common sense.

> I'm not talking about screwing up an essential file.

That won't keep you from doing it. Even seasoned professioals do not use
root permissions for any longer than a specific maintenance task requires.

--
Paul Lutus
http://www.arachnoid.com

[Sam Owens]

Good responses and I appreciate knowledge when I see it. Thanks!!

Sam


On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 09:29:57 -0700, Paul Lutus <nospam@nosite.zzz>
wrote:

>sam owens wrote:
>
>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Your Right. If I save it in home I'm OK. Gotta look into those issues.
>>>
>>> "Those issues" are called file permissions. Thay are there to keep you
>>> from ruining your Linux installation. The solution is to save your
>>> documents in your home directory.
>>
>>
>>
>> I looked into those issues and decided I don't want to save everything in
>> my home folder. If I create something I want to save it where I want.
>
>Very dangerous. If you save files in /tmp, the system will erase them for
>you on a regularly scheduled basis. If you save files in /dev, it will only
>be a natter of time before your system crashes totally and utterly. Same
>for /proc. These are root-access areas, not file repositories per se.
>
>> Isn't that the whole purpose?
>
>No, it isn't. The "whole purpose" must include keeping the computer from
>crashing and losing your work.
>
>> So, I need to look into permissions, I
>> suppose.
>> Unless, that isn't allowed for "my protection".
>
>This isn't about Big Brother. It it about common sense.
>
>> I'm not talking about screwing up an essential file.
>
>That won't keep you from doing it. Even seasoned professioals do not use
>root permissions for any longer than a specific maintenance task requires.

[Sam Owens]

Good responses and I appreciate knowledge when I see it. Thanks!!

Sam


On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 09:29:57 -0700, Paul Lutus <nospam@nosite.zzz>
wrote:

>sam owens wrote:
>
>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Your Right. If I save it in home I'm OK. Gotta look into those issues.
>>>
>>> "Those issues" are called file permissions. Thay are there to keep you
>>> from ruining your Linux installation. The solution is to save your
>>> documents in your home directory.
>>
>>
>>
>> I looked into those issues and decided I don't want to save everything in
>> my home folder. If I create something I want to save it where I want.
>
>Very dangerous. If you save files in /tmp, the system will erase them for
>you on a regularly scheduled basis. If you save files in /dev, it will only
>be a natter of time before your system crashes totally and utterly. Same
>for /proc. These are root-access areas, not file repositories per se.
>
>> Isn't that the whole purpose?
>
>No, it isn't. The "whole purpose" must include keeping the computer from
>crashing and losing your work.
>
>> So, I need to look into permissions, I
>> suppose.
>> Unless, that isn't allowed for "my protection".
>
>This isn't about Big Brother. It it about common sense.
>
>> I'm not talking about screwing up an essential file.
>
>That won't keep you from doing it. Even seasoned professioals do not use
>root permissions for any longer than a specific maintenance task requires.

['Dungeon' Dave]

... and it came to pass that sam owens <sam@sam.com> uttered forth:
>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Your Right. If I save it in home I'm OK. Gotta look into those issues.
>>
>> "Those issues" are called file permissions. Thay are there to keep you from
>> ruining your Linux installation. The solution is to save your documents in
>> your home directory.
>
>
>
>I looked into those issues and decided I don't want to save everything in
>my home folder. If I create something I want to save it where I want.

... irrespective of whether it's a good idea or not?

>Isn't that the whole purpose?

No. The purpose of the SVR4 filesystem is that certain things go in
certain places. /home is for people's home directories. /dev is for
devices. /sbin and /usr/bin for binary (programs) files. /tmp for
temporary stuff, etc.

Windows tends to follow a loose structure, such as c:\program files and
c:\windows, but other than that it's very badly organised, and doesn't
stop you from putting things where you like. *nix does for ordinary
users.

> So, I need to look into permissions, I
>suppose.
>Unless, that isn't allowed for "my protection".

It's more for the system's protection (and thus for ALL users of the
system) rather than just yourself.

>I'm not talking about screwing up an essential file.

Dumping my shopping bags into the engine bay of my car isn't talking
about screwing up the engine. But there are better places to put it, and
the potential for knackering my engine is greatly increased with this
practise.


--

"Dungeon" Dave

[Sam Owens]

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 22:32:50 +0100, 'Dungeon' Dave
<Dungeon@tombstones.org.uk> wrote:

and it came to pass that dingy dave blathered forth:

ineffectually using crap analogies.
See previous post by Paul Lutus that was of value and you can learn
the rules of good behavior. I may not know linux but I know your type.

Sam Owens

[Sam Owens]

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 22:32:50 +0100, 'Dungeon' Dave
<Dungeon@tombstones.org.uk> wrote:

and it came to pass that dingy dave blathered forth:

ineffectually using crap analogies.
See previous post by Paul Lutus that was of value and you can learn
the rules of good behavior. I may not know linux but I know your type.

Sam Owens

['Dungeon' Dave]

And Sam Owens <sam@sam.com> confused OE posters with...
> See previous post by Paul Lutus that was of value

... and echoed close to what I wrote, once my server had downloaded the
article,

>and you can learn
>the rules of good behavior.

Such as expressing gratitude in this fashion? You asked a question, I
answered it - advice freely given, based upon prior experiences. You are
free to heed it or flame me as you see fit - but while you may not be
grateful for any information freely given, others can benefit.

> I may not know linux

... and you don't realise that what you are attempting/suggesting could
be potentially damaging to your system.

Furthermore, you appear not to be concerned with my warnings about that.
Again, your choice: if you are serious about wishing to learn more about
*nix in general, then this is certainly a good resource at your
disposal.

> but I know your type.

Then you'll know what happens next.

--
"We're too young to fall asleep, too cynical to speak.
We are losing it, can't you tell?"