| What's your poison? |
| Ubuntu |
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41% |
[ 15 ] |
| Debian |
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16% |
[ 6 ] |
| Fedora |
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8% |
[ 3 ] |
| OpenSUSE |
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2% |
[ 1 ] |
| Slackware |
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2% |
[ 1 ] |
| Other (please post and tell us more) |
|
27% |
[ 10 ] |
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| Total Votes : 36 |
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nat4200
Phoenix
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Joined: Jan 11, 2011
Posts: 704
Location: BANNED
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 Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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Redacted
Last edited by nat4200 on Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:39 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Asp-Z
Clockwork Planet
Joined: Dec 07, 2009
Posts: 11016
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| Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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| nat4200 wrote: | | This might be a dumb question sorry, but were you using "sudo" or "gksu" to run gui programs with root? |
No, I was trying to use sudo to run get-apt in the Terminal.
| Orwell wrote: | | Debian, hands down. Rock-solid stable, and easily the most stringent quality control standards of any Linux distro. Also a more comprehensive feature list than you will find anywhere else. |
Sounds good to me 
| Quote: | | Difficult how? It's much easier to set up and run than Windows. Ubuntu or Mint might be simpler for someone who has no idea what they're doing, but any reasonable computer-literate person should be able to handle Debian. |
Installing it was as easy as Ubuntu, but when I first tried to check for updates, I tried to run "sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade", as the Debian documentation told me to, but I was apparently not on the sudoers file, so I went to manually edit the sudoers file but was unable to do so, both under my regular account and under an admin account, and I can't get into root using the GUI. Then I did more research and used the su- method, which worked fine. I don't see why I can use su- but not sudo, that makes no logical sense to me whatsoever 
I think the headache I got from doing all that just to essentially check for updates got it into my head that it's a bit of a difficult system to work with.
| lxuser wrote: | | Also what is so scary about the command line? The text editor part is the same its just that is launched in a terminal, I recommend using nano because its easy to use for newcomers. |
I have nothing against the command line, it's just that I need to do more learning before I can use it properly is all  |
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anonymous-shyster
Raven
Joined: Dec 15, 2011
Posts: 116
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| Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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| FreeBSD. Though if it's strictly Linux, I'd say Gentoo, Slackware then Debian. In order of preference. |
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Orwell
Outer Party Member
Joined: Aug 09, 2007
Age: 23
Posts: 13715
Location: Room 101
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| Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Asp-Z wrote: | Installing it was as easy as Ubuntu, but when I first tried to check for updates, I tried to run "sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade", as the Debian documentation told me to, but I was apparently not on the sudoers file, so I went to manually edit the sudoers file but was unable to do so, both under my regular account and under an admin account, and I can't get into root using the GUI. Then I did more research and used the su- method, which worked fine. I don't see why I can use su- but not sudo, that makes no logical sense to me whatsoever
I think the headache I got from doing all that just to essentially check for updates got it into my head that it's a bit of a difficult system to work with. |
That's just a somewhat different way of doing things. Ubuntu (+derivatives) is really the only distro that uses sudo by default. Debian, Fedora, Arch etc all have sudo, but it is not configured by default. In Ubuntu, you cannot type 'su' to become root as you would in any other distro- you must use 'sudo su' and this got people who started on other distros all confused, as you were when trying to use sudo on Debian.
You can set up sudo (go to a terminal and type 'man visudo') or you can just become root whenever you need root privileges (which is what I do, because I'm too lazy to set up sudo).
_________________
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH |
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Asp-Z
Clockwork Planet
Joined: Dec 07, 2009
Posts: 11016
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| Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:07 am Post subject: |
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| Orwell wrote: | | Asp-Z wrote: | Installing it was as easy as Ubuntu, but when I first tried to check for updates, I tried to run "sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade", as the Debian documentation told me to, but I was apparently not on the sudoers file, so I went to manually edit the sudoers file but was unable to do so, both under my regular account and under an admin account, and I can't get into root using the GUI. Then I did more research and used the su- method, which worked fine. I don't see why I can use su- but not sudo, that makes no logical sense to me whatsoever
I think the headache I got from doing all that just to essentially check for updates got it into my head that it's a bit of a difficult system to work with. |
That's just a somewhat different way of doing things. Ubuntu (+derivatives) is really the only distro that uses sudo by default. Debian, Fedora, Arch etc all have sudo, but it is not configured by default. In Ubuntu, you cannot type 'su' to become root as you would in any other distro- you must use 'sudo su' and this got people who started on other distros all confused, as you were when trying to use sudo on Debian.
You can set up sudo (go to a terminal and type 'man visudo') or you can just become root whenever you need root privileges (which is what I do, because I'm too lazy to set up sudo). |
Ahh, see I didn't know that, because I'm used to using sudo in OS X as well. |
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lxuser
Sea Gull
Joined: Sep 30, 2008
Age: 21
Posts: 226
Location: When you're here, I'm nowhere
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| Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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| nat4200 wrote: | | This might be a dumb question sorry, but were you using "sudo" or "gksu" to run gui programs with root? |
gksu is the su frontend for GTK+ applications there is also gksudo which is the frontend for sudo. The KDE equivalent is kdesu and Kubuntu has kdesudo as the frontend for sudo.
| Asp-Z wrote: | | lxuser wrote: | | Also what is so scary about the command line? The text editor part is the same its just that is launched in a terminal, I recommend using nano because its easy to use for newcomers. |
I have nothing against the command line, it's just that I need to do more learning before I can use it properly is all |
I found the best way to learn about the command line is start using it and playing around with it. There are also manual pages to just type 'man command '. As mentioned by Orwell read the visudo man page, its good for editing the sudoers file because it checks for mistyped syntax and locks the file down to stop multiple simultaneous edits, but you have to be familiar with a few vi commands in order to save changes, quit and so forth. I have never used visudo to edit the sudoers file because I prefer using just an average text editor, there are probably a lot of people out there who would disagree with that. Just before I forget you'll have to launch what ever you are using to edit the sudoers file in a root environment using su and maybe sudo on top of that. |
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Orwell
Outer Party Member
Joined: Aug 09, 2007
Age: 23
Posts: 13715
Location: Room 101
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| Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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Oh, also: if you leave the root password blank as you go through the Debian installer, it will disable the root account and use sudo instead, that is it will adopt the same behavior as Ubuntu.
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WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH |
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Asp-Z
Clockwork Planet
Joined: Dec 07, 2009
Posts: 11016
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| Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Orwell wrote: | | Oh, also: if you leave the root password blank as you go through the Debian installer, it will disable the root account and use sudo instead, that is it will adopt the same behavior as Ubuntu. |
Would it be more secure to have root disabled, do you think?
lxuser, thanks for the advice |
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Orwell
Outer Party Member
Joined: Aug 09, 2007
Age: 23
Posts: 13715
Location: Room 101
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| Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Asp-Z wrote: | | Would it be more secure to have root disabled, do you think? |
For most purposes, I doubt it makes any difference. Security was the cited reason for why both Ubuntu and OS X disable root by default, but a simple "sudo su" still gets you to a root prompt if you know the password for a sudoer.
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WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH |
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Asp-Z
Clockwork Planet
Joined: Dec 07, 2009
Posts: 11016
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| Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Orwell wrote: | | Asp-Z wrote: | | Would it be more secure to have root disabled, do you think? |
For most purposes, I doubt it makes any difference. Security was the cited reason for why both Ubuntu and OS X disable root by default, but a simple "sudo su" still gets you to a root prompt if you know the password for a sudoer. |
Yeah, makes sense. I'll just use a big, long, secure password for my admin account and have a separate standard account for my normal use. |
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lau
Really nice person to know. :)
Joined: Jun 18, 2006
Age: 64
Posts: 10537
Location: Somerset UK
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| Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Asp-Z wrote: | | Orwell wrote: | | Oh, also: if you leave the root password blank as you go through the Debian installer, it will disable the root account and use sudo instead, that is it will adopt the same behavior as Ubuntu. |
Would it be more secure to have root disabled, do you think?
lxuser, thanks for the advice |
The first thing I do, after a new install of a sudo'ophilic distro is (roughly speaking):
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"Striking up conversations with strangers is an autistic person's version of extreme sports." Kamran Nazeer |
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pete1061
Phoenix
Joined: Nov 13, 2011
Age: 43
Posts: 958
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 10:23 pm Post subject: |
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Until Adobe releases a Linux version of creative suite, I have no use for Linux.
And don't bring up Gimp, it sucks. It can't compete with Photoshop, Gimp doesn't even come close to being a viable alternative to Photoshop.
_________________
Your Aspie score: 172 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 35 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie
Diagnosed in 2005 |
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AngelKnight
Phoenix
Joined: May 04, 2011
Posts: 748
Location: This is not my home; I'm just passing through
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| Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 10:32 pm Post subject: |
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@Asp-Z: So, how's Linux treating you? Any thoughts on getting experience with using it?
(background on why I'm asking: I'm curious about the experience for new Linux users these days; I started with Linux when it was a much, much different experience, so I have no real background on what it's like to start with it now.) |
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lxuser
Sea Gull
Joined: Sep 30, 2008
Age: 21
Posts: 226
Location: When you're here, I'm nowhere
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| Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:14 am Post subject: |
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| Asp-Z wrote: | | Would it be more secure to have root disabled, do you think? |
Like Orwell, I somehow doubt for everyday usage it make any real difference.
| Asp-Z wrote: | | lxuser, thanks for the advice |
You're welcome. |
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Asp-Z
Clockwork Planet
Joined: Dec 07, 2009
Posts: 11016
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| Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 6:28 am Post subject: |
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| AngelKnight wrote: | @Asp-Z: So, how's Linux treating you? Any thoughts on getting experience with using it?
(background on why I'm asking: I'm curious about the experience for new Linux users these days; I started with Linux when it was a much, much different experience, so I have no real background on what it's like to start with it now.) |
Not using it as my main OS yet, only on virtual machines. I opened this thread in case my next computer is PC and I need to use it then, so if that happens, I'll report back if you like
If you want to know what I think from playing about with the virtual machines a bit, well it's certainly different from both Windows and OS X, but it feels generally easy to use once you feel comfortable with Linux alternatives to apps and what everything does |
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