Path: utzoo!utgpu!bnr-vpa!bnr-di!leibniz!tpc From: tpc@leibniz.UUCP (Tom Chmara) Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions Subject: Workstations: good reasons for owner root access Message-ID: <125@leibniz.UUCP> Date: 12 Aug 88 13:38:52 GMT Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, CANADA Lines: 29 We're in the process of trialing workstations to enhance our computing environment. (i.e. more and more people and their dogs are getting them). However, our support organization (the Evil Empire) is aghast that INDIVIDUAL USERS should want root access to their own workstations. I've been playing with UNIX for a while, and so should be expected to know why I (in particular) might want root perms on my machine. In particular, I'm interested in being able to give/receive NFS mounts to/from other machines in my group on an as-needed basis. As well, the lpr daemon will sometimes croak and need a kick in the pants. However, I'm drawing a blank at this point and start getting hot under the collar about the whole situation. The prevailing attitude in the E.E. is that people are going to mess up bad, that they don't need the access, and that they're going to be uneducated and irresponsible. I like to think better of my co-workers. Regardless, just because I claim that everyone here is of sterling quality doesn't wash. The bulk of the programmers here are NOT UNIX-familiar (caught one turning his workstation off&on because a program had hung, just like you would a MAC...) However, I like to think that the bulk of them are responsible and would not abuse the access. We're talking SUN, Apollo, HP, etc workstations here, most with local disks. Are there any cogent arguments for or (gulp) against root access? Is it just my own hunger for power over this inanimate box that is talking here? Please respond by email or news; as is SOP, I'll try to summarize in a few days... Thanks... ---tpc--- These aren't BNR's opinions. I don't often know my own mind, and you expect me to speak for someone else??