Logging in as root

[Charles Martin]

> From: "Meg St. Clair" <megsaint at earthlink.net>
> If I just log on as root and delete a file (which I find a lot easier 
> to
> remember how to do than the syntax of sudo), what specific bad things 
> will
> happen?

Direct answer: nothing bad will happen.

It's when you forget you are logged in as root and start doing routine 
system work (moving files, replacing files, etc) that bad things COULD 
happen. What could happen is that files get associated with root and 
will no longer respond (or behave unexpectedly) when you try to 
manipulate them as an admin or regular user.

There is also the danger that (as root) you could move files to places 
where they should not be, breaking associations the files depend on to 
work. Example: moving Quicktime out of its expected place causes iMovie 
to fail.

Even very computer-saavy people are not immune to making dumb mistakes 
(like forgetting they are logged in as root, or throwing away the wrong 
file, etc). Obviously, root is no place for a non-expert to be at all, 
but even computer-savvy (even UNIX-saavy!) people are urged to avoid 
logging in as root *because* we are all human and make mistakes. The 
"sudo" command, by being something we conscientiously have to invoke, 
prevents a lot of the kinds of problems that are caused by being logged 
in as root and not remembering this.

HTAYQ.

_Chas_
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