LWN.net Logo

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 12:30 UTC (Mon) by nathan (subscriber, #3559)
In reply to: Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer) by hensema
Parent article: Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

I have used several linux distros, and ubuntu has turned out to be the simplest and easiest to use. I used to use Redhat. I tried installing SuSE but things were weird. I used Fedora. I tried debian, but it failed to install. I switched to Ubuntu when I (a) heard good things about it and (b) Fedora totally scrogged a system upgrade. I used to fine tune and configure installs to be just right, now I'm lazier and want something that works.

I just dist-upgraded from hoary to breezy, and It Just Worked.

The only gripe I had with ubuntu is that the install does not have a prominent notice saying 'experienced user warning:ubuntu uses sudo for everything. You will not have a root account unless you do $MAGIC_THING' :)


(Log in to post comments)

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 12:50 UTC (Mon) by jjstwerff (subscriber, #4082) [Link]

passwd root

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 16:22 UTC (Mon) by seyman (subscriber, #1172) [Link]

> passwd root

I've had to explain this to several people (all experienced Unix/Linux users) who were all quite surprised not to be prompted to for the root password. It doesn't help that the answer to this question is buried at the bottom of a very long FAQ which isn't that easy to find on the ubuntu.com website.

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 13:55 UTC (Mon) by mohaine (guest, #6101) [Link]

The only gripe I had with ubuntu is that the install does not have a prominent notice saying 'experienced user warning:ubuntu uses sudo for everything. You will not have a root account unless you do $MAGIC_THING' :)

I wouldn't really call giving root a password a $MAGIC_THING. When you get right down to it, Ubuntu just delays the root password setup until you need access to root. While I hated this at first, it makes since. Most users don't know what 'root' is and have no idea why a root would need a password.

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 15:48 UTC (Mon) by nathan (subscriber, #3559) [Link]

You miss my point. An experienced user expects a root account. It doesn't matter what $MAGIC_THING expands to. It just needs to be flagged. Otherwise, you get to the end of the install and (a) wonder if you missed a step, (b) wonder how to unwedge yourself. Yes, you _are_ wedged, you have a system _you_ don't know how to effectively operate. Call it $MAGIC_THING, $RANDOM_THING, $WHY_IS_THIS_DIFFERENT_THING, I don't care.

Dumber people can run Linux (Inquirer)

Posted Oct 17, 2005 21:54 UTC (Mon) by sjj (guest, #2020) [Link]

Well, I have used sudo almost exclusively for root access for years (except at work...) so I didn't even notice for weeks.

Copyright © 2008, Eklektix, Inc.
Comments and public postings are copyrighted by their creators.
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds
Powered by Rackspace Managed Hosting.