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I'll try that when I get home.  Thanks CH.

Okay, so I'm trying to get Java on this thing, but when I open up Terminal and follow the instructions on this site http://www.java.com/en/download/help/5000010500.xml#rpm
I get stuck on the Root Password bit.  I've been trying to use the one and only password that I have on this computer but no go. 

What am I doing wrong? ...besides dealing with Java.

CrashingtehWarehouse wrote:

Okay, so I'm trying to get Java on this thing, but when I open up Terminal and follow the instructions on this site http://www.java.com/en/download/help/5000010500.xml#rpm
I get stuck on the Root Password bit.  I've been trying to use the one and only password that I have on this computer but no go. 

What am I doing wrong? ...besides dealing with Java.

If I recall - ubuntu is one of those backwards operating systems that initially does not have a root password - you either use sudo with your user password, or create a root password.

sudo passwd root

should do it - but I don't know.

See if icedtea has been packaged for ubuntu - it works quite for me in CentOS - it's a free java implementation that includes a browser plugin. It might already be in your ubuntu package repositories.

It's not as fully functional (yet) as sun java, but it works for most things - everything I've encountered on the web. I know it fails with *some* java desktop applications.

ugh, you should have just used sudo -s. That would have given you a root shell. I don't agree with the sentiment that Ubuntu (or any other sudo) using distros are 'backwards' because they use sudo instead of having a root account. I could go on and on for the advantages of sudo over root account + su.

Creating a root account does not remove the ability to use sudo.

Properly configured sudo will not allow the user to spawn a shell. These backwards distributions that set up sudo to do anything are mis-configured.

In the event of a user account password sniff (or brute force), the cracker can get root. If sudo is disabled or configured to only allow a few apps (that can not spawn a shell), the cracker who sniffs or brute forces a user account can not get root.

The common argument is that all important data on a box is in the home directory so root doesn't matter - but it does, because if they get root on a box, they can set up a spam server, modify logs, alter binaries, and other stuff that can't be done w/o root.

root privileges are rarely ever needed, pretty much only to install software and system wide configurations. Therefore allowing user passwords to get a root shell is not necessary.

Last edited by resedit (2008-01-19 11:00 am)

My ssh daemon is properly configured, however, it is not that way by default, I think. I also use deny hosts, in the rare possibility that somebody figures out the port I have on my router forwarding ssh to my desktop, and figures out my username. Again, I find the stories of sudo's insecurity highly exaggerated.

Also, vim > emacs, GNOME > KDE

Okay..... lets join the hand holding already in progress.


So, Um, back to my lack of knowledge in this department.  After I was able to successfully put in a password I needed to type in a directory location....everything I typed was rejected.  What now?

Chickenhawk wrote:

ugh, you should have just used sudo -s. That would have given you a root shell. I don't agree with the sentiment that Ubuntu (or any other sudo) using distros are 'backwards' because they use sudo instead of having a root account. I could go on and on for the advantages of sudo over root account + su.

Why do I want one of those?

I'm beginning to think I'm not cut out for Ubuntu.

CrashingtehWarehouse wrote:

Chickenhawk wrote:

ugh, you should have just used sudo -s. That would have given you a root shell. I don't agree with the sentiment that Ubuntu (or any other sudo) using distros are 'backwards' because they use sudo instead of having a root account. I could go on and on for the advantages of sudo over root account + su.

Why do I want one of those?

I'm beginning to think I'm not cut out for Ubuntu.

Setting up a machine is the hardest part.
It gets easier. Much easier.

ha ha.


So what about this directory business for Java.  Why won't it let me put it anywhere?  What's the proper syntax for directory?

I've only ever used Terminal once...about ten years ago.  And I was walked through it.

My philosophy -

/usr - stuff installed by native package manager
/usr/local - stuff installed outside of native package manager
/opt - some vendors will have packages that install there (IE adobe acrobat reader) - installing into /opt usually requires a symlink in /usr/local/bin or /usr/bin