Root access for editing

[bcvanbelle]

I'm really surprised at how difficult it is to change some files in Linux. I've used PC's, Macs and Linux firewalls, but a new Debian distro to use as a proxy server is making me grind my teeth.
Here's the issue. I want to edit the squid.conf file. I don't want to use the terminal. I think the computer world has gone beyond the command line interface and especially the non-graphical editor!
The file is owned by root. Understandable. But, I cannot edit it in the GUI, and I cannot change the permissions, since I am not the owner. I cannot log in as root. On top of that, when I attempt to change the permissions in terminal (grrr) with a sudo, the root password is not accepted.

I am a newby in Debian, but this is a steep learning curve! There must be a simpler way, no?

Is there a GUI command that lets you do root stuff for a little while? Like sudo?

[Juan Pablo]

I'm really surprised at how difficult it is to change some files in Linux. I've used PC's, Macs and Linux firewalls, but a new Debian distro to use as a proxy server is making me grind my teeth.

You just need some practice

Here's the issue. I want to edit the squid.conf file. I don't want to use the terminal. I think the computer world has gone beyond the command line interface and especially the non-graphical editor!

There are easier to use interfaces now but the most practical and fast is still the command line, a lot of servers work without a GUI to be lighter thus you can't bundle graphical apps

The file is owned by root. Understandable. But, I cannot edit it in the GUI, and I cannot change the permissions, since I am not the owner. I cannot log in as root. On top of that, when I attempt to change the permissions in terminal (grrr) with a sudo, the root password is not accepted.

Is sudo configured properly? Have you tried su? Hav you tried YOUR password instead of root's?

I am a newby in Debian, but this is a steep learning curve! There must be a simpler way, no?

Webmin is pretty good as a GUI

Is there a GUI command that lets you do root stuff for a little while? Like sudo?

You can use sudo with graphical apps, run them as root from a terminal or use gksudo

[anomie]

I think the computer world has gone beyond the command line interface and especially the non-graphical editor!

Many in the *nix world would take issue with that statement. Personally, I think it's very silly to install X and graphical apps in a server environment (with some exceptions, perhaps). By doing so you incur non-trivial overhead, and lots of applications with new potential for security holes.

If you're open to giving this a shot with a friendly command-line editor, give ee (which stands for 'easy editor') a try; note that you may have to install it. I'm not sure if it's included with a debian base system.

If you insist on using a gui, it looks like Juan Pablo has some suggestions for you.

[bcvanbelle]

Juan Pablo,

Thanks for the inspiration. It seems that Linux users seem to feel that Newbies have to go through a rite of passage!

I did not know one had to configure sudo. I re-entered the password for sudo in Users and Groups (which is disturbingly easy; I don't know of a OS that lets you change other's passwords..). In the meantime I did find Root Terminal in the Accessories menu. Now that's easy! Still terminal, mind you...

I did try my password, but that did not fly. As it shouldn't, the file is owned by root.

What is gksudo?

Also, while changing permissions with chmod, I found that folders have the drwx format. What does that translate to in numbers?
(Edit) Got it, "d" stands for directory. (/Edit)
Thanks again.

[bcvanbelle]

Anomie,

I've come across this many a time, that *nux users swear by the command prompt. However, no-one can convince me that traversing folders and copy-pasting text documents is easy from the command line. Perhaps after several years banging away at the keyboard people tend to get stuck there. I have been using, fixing and assembling computers, programming for 20+ years now and I still find Linux cumbersome.
I recently moved to a Mac network and it is by far the best experience I've had, even though I still find some of the UNIX underpinnings cumbersome to deal with.

Don't get me wrong, I detest M$. I wish there was a better Linux alternative out there. For now, one needs to be very computer savvy to set up a Linux box. If you know of GUI developers that need some input, I've got tons!

Sorry for the rant.

[smolloy]

For now, one needs to be very computer savvy to set up a Linux box.

I'm not sure that's true -- you tried SuSE or Ubuntu lately? Remember, setting up a proxy server isn't something that newbies will want to do

From the command line (I know you hate it) try (if you're using Gnome),

gksudo gedit your_file

or (if you're using KDE),

kdesu kwrite your_file

That should give you a nice gui editor with root permissions.

[bcvanbelle]

smolloy,

Well, the fact is that all those friendly people online are dying to help out a grumpy Linux newby, which makes me want to stick with it.
Great comments; I'm gonna give it a try.

As a comparison, I did this on two of our Mac servers to get a proxy going:
1) Downloaded from my browser an app called SquidMan. In OSX you get an image, from which you can install the app.
2) Installed from the image. Just double click the image, click some OK's and set some IP addresses.
3) 2 minutes, tops. I did not have time to finish my coffee, seriously.

One of the servers is getting maxed out, so that's why i wanted to convert an old pc to a linux proxy server.
I tried to do this with SmoothWall, which is a FANTASTIC linux firewall, but it doesn't work in the setup we have.

Thanks again!

[mattstang]

bcvanbelle

I'm glad to hear you are going to stick with it. Long before OSX was an itch in Steve Jobs pants, UNIX/Linux users have been able to write a <30 line script to do some amazing things with text that DOS/Windows/MacOS users only dreamed of. Not to knock Macs, they are great machines to run Linux on

If you read old news posts compared to more recent, you'll find that Linux is leaps and bounds less "cumbersome" than it once was. There are even big PC manufacturers that are SHIPPING Linux preinstalled. If you search (using your favorite search engine) for something like "proxy setup HOWTO linux" or even drop the "setup" I'm sure you'd find all sorts of solutions.

As smolloy mentioned, seting up a linux proxy isn't usually a newbie-type task. But I'm sure if you find the right howto, you'll be just fine.

Much of them will deal with needing sudo or root access tho. You really need sudo access at bare minimum. Bug they guy whom installed Debian for root, or have that person give you sudo access (you can do pretty much the same damage with both, depending on how much sudo access you have).

I wish you much luck!

[iwanabeguru]

for getting root permissions on X
open a terminal
type su <press enter>
enter your root password <press enter>

now you have an root terminal ,start the editor from here

[bcvanbelle]

Well guys, with all your help I got my proxy going. It doesn't start up all by itself yet, so I'm digging around to get that going. I found the Root Terminal in Debian exemplary helpful.

I do wonder whether there should be a discussion around user friendliness. I think Linux is far superior to M$ in the fundamental design and unarguably to MacOS. I'm so glad Apple went UNIX. OSX is truly amazing.

I would recommend my 70yr old mother to buy an Apple and I would be confident she would be able to work on it with only minimal assistance. A PC, maybe not. Linux? Definitely NOT. Which I think is a shame. I think some things are very very good in new Linux distro's, and I think with some minor adjustments it could take over the world's desktop.