> each user has a session and a session key. this key is used to > authenticate yourself to the Xserver. Root as a key and each user > does.
Yes, that makes sense. > so when you login as user and then switch to root, it tried to use your > root key to access the user session-- no go. ? When I login as user, and then "su - root," does not root then use its own session key? Are you saying that when I "su - root", root tries to use user's session key? one solution is: > user% xhost + > user% su > root! xcalc > but this is an insecure hack since in says anyone can snoop on your > xserver. but if you are not on the net or have a firewall it may be used, > > the better solution is to 'merge' your X authenticaion key database but I > forgot the command. Thanks, Kev. My understanding of Linux is that normally you want to log in as user because being root carries with it certain risks. But regularly, we, running as user, find that we need to do something that requires root's privileges, and so we "su - root". That's what I read in "Running Linux" and elsewhere. It's what I've been doing for years. So I assumed that by moving from RedHats to debian, things would continue as before. But they have not. So, the important question that still remains unansered: was my installation of debian flawed, or does debian simply work differently than what I assume? Haines -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
