On Wed, Feb 05, 2025 at 01:38:17PM -0600, K0LNY ?? wrote: > Hi Andrew, > Using other distros, like Ubuntu and Raspbian, I would get tired of typing > sudo in front of everything, so I would just do sudo su and become root for > everything, so I wouldn't have to constantly be reminded that as a regular > user, I can't do something, and I had been told that installing things as > root will cause problems.
Hi Glenn, sudo su is an anti-pattern, but it's one that's seen a great deal in advice on the 'Net. If you want to run several commands without typing sudo in front of each then, as suggested, a better way might be to run sudo -i which will open an interactive session for the sudo user that will last as long as that session is open. > I was told that if I install things as root, that another package may not > have permissions to use something I installed as root. > Thanks. > If you're installing Debian packages, then they're all, effectively, *installed* by a root-equivalent process. [That's part of the security and values screening process for aspiring Debian maintainers, in some sense: whatever they package might be installed on many thousands of machines by something with root privileges, potentially, so we have to be able to trust them.] The permissions will be whatever they are: there are a few packages normally intended to be run by root/root equivalent (usually under sbin) Packages are normally relatively independent of one another so permissions to run one application shouldn't impact others. I think Dan Ritter has responded similarly. All the very best, as ever, Andrew Cater (amaca...@debian.org) > Glenn > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Andrew M.A. Cater" <amaca...@einval.com> > To: <debian-accessibil...@lists.debian.org> > Cc: <debian-user@lists.debian.org> > Sent: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 1:28 PM > Subject: Root, sudo and installing packages [WAS Re: user is not in the > suder's file] > > > [Follow-up suggested to the mailing list at debian-user@lists.debian.org] > > On Wed, Feb 05, 2025 at 11:50:44AM -0600, K0LNY ?? wrote: > > Hi Andrew, > > How is Debian different with regard to apparently there not being a > > problem > > installing things as root? > > I know that there are issues if some packages are installed with root > > privileges on other systems. > > Thanks. > > > > Glenn > > Hi Glenn, > > I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean here. Root can do most things: > sudo is effectively allowing an unprivileged user to "become" root for > a few commands (and a few minutes - there's a time out and then you may > have to put a password in again). > > Installing a Debian .deb package effectively requires super user powers. > > You should always be careful when installing packages that you know what > you are installing. Similarly, Debian packages from Debian are preferred > as easier to deal with within the system if there are no third party > packages. Packages not produced by Debian and sourced from third parties may > create problems. > > See also: https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian > > If you are not sure of Linux commands and Debian administratin - you > might try installing the package debian-handbook > > This is a handbook outlining various aspects of system administration on > a Debian system based round the needs of a fictional factory. The > standard package provides an html structure in > /usr/share/doc/debian-handbook > > Hope this helps, > > Andrew Cater > (amaca...@debian.org) >
