Re: [PATCH] Single user linux

[Daniel Stone]

On Tue, Apr 24, 2001 at 07:44:17PM +0700, [e-mail] wrote:
> 
> On Tue, 24 Apr 2001, Alexander Viro wrote:
> > What, makes it hard to write viruses for it? Awww, poor skr1pt k1dd13z...
> >
> > And would that "use" by any chance include access to network?
> >
> > So let him log in as root, do everything as root and be cracked
> > like a bloody moron he is. Next?
> >
> 
> come on, it's hard for me as it's hard for you. not everybody
> expect a computer to be like people here thinks how a computer
> should be.

Hence, Microsoft Windows. It might not be stable, it might not be fast, it
might not do RAID, packet-filtering and SQL, but it does a job. A simple
job. To give Mum & Dad(tm) (with apologies to maddog) a chance to use a
computer.
 
> think about personal devices. something like the nokia communicator.
> a system security passwd is acceptable, but that's it. no those-
> device-user would like to know about user account, file ownership,
> etc. they just want to use it.

Since when, did mobile phones == computers?

> that also explain why win95 user doesn't want to use NT. not
> because they can't afford it (belive me, here NT costs only
> us$2), but additional headache isn't acceptable.

So, let them stay in Win95. They don't *need* NT.

> with multi-user concept, conceptually there should be an
> administrator to create account, grant permission, etc.
> no my sister doesn't want that. i bet there are billions of
> people not willing to learn how to use a computer, they just
> want to use it.

If your sister doesn't want that, give your sister a copy of Win95. If she
doesn't want that, she obviously wouldn't get any advantage out of Linux, as
opposed to Win95, whatsoever. Would she get a kick out of having to learn an
entirely new environment? Granted, I'm far more productive in GNOME,
Sawfish, emacs and mutt than Win95, Word and Outlook, but it takes people
time to get used to, and you'll have trouble dragging them out of
point-n-click.

> and yes, mobile devices access network.
>
> > What for? If they want root - give them root and be done with that.
> > No need to change the kernel.
> >
> > You know, if you really do not understand the implications of
> > running everything with permissions equivalent to root - get
> > the hell out of any UNIX-related programming until you learn.
> >
> > If you want CP/M or MacOS - you know where to find them.
> 
> so what the hell is transmeta doing with mobile linux (midori).
> is it going to teach multi-user thing to tablet owners?
> surely mortals expect midori to behave like their pc. lets say
> on redhat, they have to login as root to access their files,
> they don't even know what a root is!
> 
> lets break unix mind for a while, and give everyone a chance
> to use linux.

If you don't want multiple users, don't add them. Just be content with root,
and give her root. It has multiple user capabilities, which should be used
under all circumstances, but if you don't want something, don't use it. You
have a choice.

My $au0.02. (which is apparently just over us1c now. oh joy).

-- 
Daniel Stone
Linux Kernel Developer
[e-mail]