Hi Shriramana,
Well, seeing as we can't search the archives of this mailing list, you can't expect us to know what questions have been asked and what not. It's not like forums.mozillazine.org or linuxforums.org, where we *can* search and it would be at least partially our fault if we ask a question already asked before.
... you can get the whole SuSE KDE list archive at: http://lists.suse.com/archive/suse-kde/ There is, however, unfortunately no search functionality. However, if you want to search the archives you also find them here _with_ search functionality: http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=suse-kde&r=1&w=2 I suggest you bookmark at least the second one. It's pretty helpful.
And hey, if you don't think answering a question repeatedly is not fun (which I fully agree with) I feel you need not get angry over it - just ignore such a question, and maybe someone else will answer the poor ignorant (like me) guy's request.
... you misunderstood me. I did not mean answering the _same_ question from _different_ people but from _one_person_ again and again.
Well, your mail asking me why I would want to do "such a stupid thing" came *before* all those mails which nicely explained why such a thing is a bad thing to do. Here - I dug these timestamps out of my local archives:
Your post saying "Why do you want to do something that stupid, and then maybe I'll tell you?!" reads 10-Aug-2005 22:16 UTC+0530. Alain Black's post saying "Wow Fred, calm down. There's no need for insulting people here." reads same day 22:23.
... I suggest, you repair your mailbox. I never said "Why do you want to do something that stupid, and then maybe I'll tell you?!" It was Fred A. Miller who said that. So, before asking me for trouble how about doing some proper digging in your local mailbox first and then asking the originator for trouble?
The first *concrete* explanation of why it's a bad idea to login to X11 as root came from Daniel Eckl at 23:55 the same day. Till then I had only messages from various people saying "it's bad for security". I wanted to know *why* it was bad for security. Was that such a big mistake?
... no and if you'd properly dug thru your mailbox you would have found that my very first answer, beside bearing the remark that I second Daniel's view, bore a pretty eloquent explanation about security implications with running X as root. So what is your problem with me other than obviously confusing me with Fred and possibly others? My name is Paul and not Fred! And also what is your problem with reading and _understanding_ what someone else writes?
So you see it's not true that "it was explained to you multiple times but if you insist". Nothing was *explained*. Something was stated - that it's a security risk. I wanted more details as to why it is a security risk. That doesn't classify under:
... what is so hard to understand about what I initially wrote, ie. that X runs a number of services and if run as root someone only needs to hack one single service to enter the system and take over? Want an API listing or port specifications? Want a commented TCP/IP packet listing? What kernel specifications? I'm sure that's not what you want unless you're either a serious hacker or serious programmer. Since I assume the latter two are not the case the explanation that *I* supplied with running X as root and the services stuff must do. If it does not then you need to google for some very serious internals stuff. But you'd not be happy with what you'd find there...
I feel my question as to why exactly it was a security risk was very clearly stemmed from a desire to learn or know something substantial. You say: "do not overdose on medicines". A guy asks "why?" You say "'cause it's a bad idea". He asks "why is it a bad idea?" That's NOT a stupid question.
... beside me viewing that as a stupid question as overdose already contains the "over" part which means too much and is thus negative, serious health problems are more than obvious in your example. You earlier asked me (rethorically) whether I understand English. Well, frankly, I doubt that _you_ do. You read and get the words maybe, but you don't get the essence, neither do you seriously think about a message.
My friend, I am an academic - I know when I say: "dilution of concentrated sulphuric acid must be done by pouring it into water, and not water into it" and a student asks a question "why is that so", he thinks, and when a student simply accepts that declaration, he doesn't have the desire or energy to investigate the rationale behind my statement. Hence, I request you - please do not irritate yourself if somebody asks a question the answer to which is obvious to you.
... yeah and I'm the bastard operator from Hell and bite you in your balls! Did I mention that I hate those clever people called academics? I have spend (way too) much time at a university and there was one important thing I learned there for life: Most academics who need to mention they hold a PhD., a diploma, are this and that, received this and that award, or to quote one guy "I have a couple of college degrees", those people tend to be condescending as hell and not listen to what somebody else says. Those people suck most! So never boast in front of me what clever academic you are! That will only move you to my killfile.
Nothing personal against you. Be well.
... no, nothing personal. I'm being purely academic here... -- cul8er Paul paul.foerster@gmail.com