bigbear
Site Admin
Joined: 26 Feb 2011
Posts: 36
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 Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 3:05 am Post subject: What the hello is sudo? (pronounced sue dooo) |
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Sudo is a tool that originally is intended in a large, centralized network where an admin has some assistants techs, etc that need to be able to have some all powerful root/administrator privileges, but not all of them.
They can be limited to only being able to do one thing and that's it. They may be given all super-user privileges because they are second banana when the big admin is on vacation.
It is a flexible and centralized tool to control what the techs and assistant admins can do.
Some distros have managed to utterly bastardize the purpose and point of sudo to try to give any tom, dick or harry casual user the ability to have super-user or root-like privileges on a system.
We have to remember that Linux is a couple times removed derivative of Unix which is a network operating system. To be intended for use on servers to which users at terminal, be they dumb or smart terminals, log into.
Linux started it's life as a multi-user, network centric operating system. This is compared to Windows which started life as a one computer, stand alone operating system. Things like multi-user considerations and network capabilities had to be added to it after the fact.
The mis-implementation of sudo is an effort to provide that "let me make things easy and do that for you" feel of a stand-alone operating system like Windows, in a Linux distribution.
From reading this, you might get the idea that I disagree with using sudo in this manner. You would be absolutely correct.
I am also the guy who will pitch a fit if I catch someone trying to use my screwdrivers to open paint cans or using my rubber mallet to drive a nail.
Tools are made with a specific purpose intended and should not be mis-implemented simply because it's convenient. In the long run, all you get is a tool that loses it's capacity to do it's job adequately.
As a network tool to delegate privileges to asst admins and techs, it is a terrific tool. As a quick and easy way to give Linux users a Windows like "feel", it is ham-handed and and in-appropriate. |
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