[Linux] Not requiring root password all the time

[Kwan Lowe]

> Hello everyone,
>
> I've just installed Fedora Core 6 on a laptop. I like it. However, I was
> trying to do something new. I was trying to make it more "user" oriented
> rather than "network-with-administrator" kind of computer.
>
> What I want is the ability for the user to change printer settings, network,
> wireless connections, etc without requiring to enter root password all the
> time.

> I know a way would be to run as "root", but I don't like that solution.
>
> I've been googling around but found nothing consistent.

As others suggested, you can do this with sudo...
Another method is to use the "userhelper" facility within Fedora. It prompts once
for root authentication but then remembers that auth for a configurable period (5
mins is the default).

For those apps configured with userhelper it will prompt once on initial run. E.g.,
if you start system-config-authentication as a non-privileged user it will prompt
once. If within 5 minutes it won't prompt again.

> How to give access to the user to do some "basic" changes to the system
> (change printers, connect to a different wireless network, etc), without
> having to give them full root access?
>
> You're help will be appreciated.
>
> P.S. Please, if you only have as suggestion "Install XXXXX distribution",
> that's not the route I'm looking for.


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