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Michael Robertson Says Root is Safe

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the he-calls dept.

Kez writes "HEXUS.net caught up with Michael Robertson, CEO of Linspire, at the UK launch of Linspire 5. Their interview with Mr. Robertson covers everything from hardware support to software patents, but a comment from Mr. Robertson on using root is perhaps the most interesting: "I defy anybody to tell me why is it more secure to not run as root. Nobody really has a good answer. They say 'oh, yeah, it is!', but it really isn't." I would imagine a few Slashdotters would dispute that."

12 of 1,174 comments (clear)

  1. He can run as root by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    But I want to know his IP address.

  2. god or mear mortal by towaz · · Score: 5, Funny

    Lets do "rm -rf /" and compare the results.

    --
    "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Voltaire
    1. Re:god or mear mortal by Kanasta · · Score: 4, Funny

      I did it, it said bad command. I'm running as admin on WinXP.

      OK, your turn.

  3. Re:Full article link and observations on root by nxtr · · Score: 5, Funny

    Running as root is like posting to slashdot without reading TFA. :) Exactly; you get what you want done faster, like get the much coveted +5 Funny.

  4. Re:Mr. Lindows is just stirring shit as usual... by 0racle · · Score: 4, Funny

    Its the root window, it must require root privileges to change.

    --
    "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
  5. Breaking News from DHS Privacy Board.... by scupper · · Score: 3, Funny

    Michael "Root" Robertson is appointed to the Department of Homeland Security's Privacy Board.

  6. With unsecurity like that ... by houghi · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... he should rename his Linspire to something like Lindows.

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
  7. I can reveal it by plj · · Score: 4, Funny

    127.0.0.1.

    Just don't tell anyone that it was me who told you.

    --
    “Wait for Hurd if you want something real” –Linus
  8. Re:Okay now... by EvilSporkMan · · Score: 4, Funny

    I had a friend who typed rm -rf *>tar instead of rm -rf *.tar. He was left with an empty file named tar and a whole lot of space to keep it...

    --
    -insert a witty something-
  9. Re:Okay now... by ScuzzMonkey · · Score: 5, Funny

    When's the last time your elevator blue-screened and sent you and the other occupants hurtling screaming to the bottom of the shaft?

    --
    No relation to Happy Monkey
  10. Re:Okay now... by anagama · · Score: 5, Funny

    • I don't think I've ever actually known anyone to do the classic accidental rm -Rf / as root.

    I did.

    I had two hard drives with RH on them, one slightly newer. I didn't want to upgrade my main system and risk it going all screwy, so I just took out the HD, put in a blank one, and installed the new system. Then I put my old HD in usb enclosure, copied over everything I needed, and then decided I'd erase the old drive. I had it in /mnt/usbhd, and of course, the directory structure looked practically identical to my new system from there on down. I mucked about making sure I had copied over everything I wanted, figured I was all set, and then, with the intent of going to / of the usb drive, I typed "cd /" and them "rm -rf *". I walked away for a while ....

    So I get back -- anyway, you can imagine the sick sort of dizy feeling that mistake can generate as one slowly begins to comprehend the magnitude of one's error. It only takes a second, one stray thought - "do I want a coke or a coffee" - while typing and out comes a "cd /" instead of a "cd /mnt/usbhd".
    --
    What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
  11. Re:Okay now... by Rimbo · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's because elevators have emergency brakes that automatically latch on at the first sign of anything going wrong.

    Now that I think of it, it's like running as a user instead of root, isn't it? Ehrm, wait a minute...