In a previous message, Phillip Virdi-Smith
From the normal user I sometimes need to change to root to install software etc.
You don't actually need to log in as root to install software (or, indeed, to do anything else). To install software, as you norma user you can run KPackage (or your preferred install tool). The software knows that it needs root privileges to install software and will ask for the password when needed. To configure the PC, run YaST - this will ask for the root password before running so that it can configure admin-only parts of the system. To do root stuff from the command line, use 'su' or 'sux' (for running X apps). All this makes life much safer, because it minimises the chances of something going wrong and breaking your system. KDE (and any other GUI) does lots of things that don't need root access, and have the potential to do harm if they go wrong. It's also faster than logging in a whole KDE session. HTH John -- John Pettigrew Headstrong Games john@headstrong-games.co.uk Fun : Strategy : Price http://www.headstrong-games.co.uk/ Board games that won't break the bank Valley of the Kings: ransack an ancient Egyptian tomb but beware of mummies!