I just went to change the timezone on my clock and thought it was weird that it asked me to login with root password, is that normal?
I have been asked to login to root for a few simple tasks and I find it a bit annoying. It almost reminds me of the Windows Vista UAC which asks me for permission to do something every five seconds, just not as bad. Is there a way to change this?
Any help would be awesome
Thanks
Changing the time zone of the system clock has system wide effects. It should require the root password.
You can change your own timezone by editing your “.profile” and adding a couple of lines
TZ=US/Eastern
## change the above for the timezone that you want.
export TZ
Then when you logout and login again, you should be using the new timezone.
There may be a GUI setting for the timezone use in the clock for your desktop. I can change that in the clock settings in KDE4. But changing that probably only affects the displayed timezone, and not the timezone seen by other applications. The change in “.profile” should affect all applications for your session.
Yeah, thats very true, I can see how it could be an issue. But what if I set my system for a password on logon? Wouldnt that avoid the need to be asked for root for this task? Since I am the main user and can also have a password setup when the computer wakes from sleep as well. I just want to reduce the number of times Im asked to login to root. Like installing fonts. I do see the security issues but I thought it was redundant and should be a choice not a hard feature that cant be changed. I know the UAC in windows can be shut off so I guess I was hoping for a similar option.
Its not the end of the world but it does make using it a tad frustrating.
Thanks for helping I seriously appreciate the tip.
Linux (openSUSE) all run at user level (unlike windows)
Which means, typically, you have no more privileges than any other user you might add to your system.
It’s part of the reason behind Linux being more secure.
It may take you some time to get to grips with the way a Linux system works…
You can install fonts locally to a user account or as you seem to have done, system wide.
I adjust my fonts system wide, but once there are added. Local adjustment in kde is simple and password free
That’s one of the two things that drove Torvalds mad: Linus Torvalds snarls at openSUSE desktop Linux’s security | ZDNet
On 2012-04-01 06:36, nrickert wrote:
>
> Changing the time zone of the system clock has system wide effects. It
> should require the root password.
No, it shouldn’t. It is a known bug in gnome 3, gnome 2 does allow you to
change it as plain user. It only affects that user, not the system. This is
the bug that Linus Torvalds complained bitterly about, or one of them.
Gnome 3 ask for root’s password because the same dialog serves for another
purpose that does indeed need root’s password. They have to put those two
on two different dialogs again.
> You can change your own timezone by editing your “.profile” and adding
> a couple of lines
>
> Code:
> --------------------
>
> TZ=US/Eastern
> ## change the above for the timezone that you want.
> export TZ
> --------------------
Exactly - and this is done as plain user 
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)
On 04/01/2012 03:46 AM, please try again wrote:
>
> rain922;2452758 Wrote:
>>
>> Its not the end of the world but it does make using it a tad
>> frustrating.
>>
>
> That’s one of the two things that drove Torvalds mad: ‘Linus Torvalds
> snarls at openSUSE desktop Linux’s security | ZDNet’
> (http://tinyurl.com/6sqhg32)
The things that bugged Torvalds WERE bugs (pun intended), and they have since
been fixed.
The things that bother the OP are security measures, and even Linus knows that
they need the root password.
The user password that you need to supply when you log in are to protect YOUR
account. The root password that is needed to perform certain actions is there to
protect the SYSTEM.
I thought for a minute that you intended to teach me Unix basics … but then I looked at the calendar. Nice one! lol!
Configure desktop (systemsettings)-system administration-actions policy-org.freedesktop-The systemd project
See if you can authorize your user to change the time:)
Please don’t try again 
I thought everyone agreed that Linus’ complaint was legitimate (as regards the bug), BUT…security is security. You need to be root to change the essentials (let’s call these “system-wide settings”). Linux was and is meant to be a multi-user environment, each user has his/her own settings, but the core is set by the superuser. If you want to modify the date/time settings permanently, then do it as root, but maybe if there are more than one users on a system, each of them would like to have personalized settings (yes, even personalized date/time, why not?).
The belief that things are what they are is the surest way to insecurity. 
On 2012-04-01 20:26, riderplus wrote:
>
> Please don’t try again I thought everyone agreed that Linus’
> complaint was legitimate (as regards the bug), BUT…security is
> security. You need to be root to change the essentials.
Er… you need the root password to change the time. You do not need it to
change your user timezone. If you are prompted for it, it is a bug.
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)
And it hasn’t been fixed yet AFAIK - unlike said earlier in this thread … although as far as I’m concerned, it’s not that problematic, since users here don’t travel with the same laptop and two different IDs in two different timezones and if they did, that would be very suspicious and they would either know or have guessed the root password - unless there is a wormhole or other space-time distortion I havent’ been able to catch yet *
- I think we had one today/yesterday - depending on your timezone and whether or not you have root privileges.
Precisely. Isn’t “time” one of the essentials? User timezone seems to be relative.
On 2012-04-02 09:06, riderplus wrote:
>> Er… you need the root password to change the time. You do not need it
>> > to
>> > change your user timezone. If you are prompted for it, it is a bug.
>> >
> Precisely. Isn’t “time” one of the essentials? User timezone seems
> to be relative.
In gnome 2 you can change your own time zone, no password asked. Gnome 3
asks for it because it is in the same dialog as something else - and that’s
the bug.
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)
On 2012-04-02 04:16, please try again wrote:
> And it hasn’t been fixed yet AFAIK - unlike said earlier in this thread
> … although as far as I’m concerned, it’s not that problematic, since
> users here don’t travel with the same laptop and two different IDs in
> two different timezones and if they did, that would be very suspicious
> and they would either know or have guessed the root password - unless
> there is a wormhole or other space-time distortion I havent’ been able
> to catch yet *
The problem is if you travel and have only one ID, and you use gnome 3
(AFAIK). I haven’t checked kde on this.
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)
The problem is if you travel and have only one ID, and you use gnome 3
(AFAIK). I haven’t checked kde on this.
The problem also exists with kde.
In “$HOME/.profile”, I have:
### check for a temporary timezone change.
if -r $HOME/timezone.sh ] ; then
. $HOME/timezone.sh
fi
When traveling, I just create “timezone.sh” with something like:
TZ=US/Eastern
export TZ
This works very well.
The problem isn’t just the timezone, its also in regards to all non logical security requests. setting up network printers, and doing everyday tasks.
I believe the requests for root should be an option that can be turned off by the user of the computer. An example would be if I am in a very low risk environment for someone to change anything on my system, on purpose or by mistake. So if I don’t want the added security, I should be able to change it, and stop it from requesting root so i can have a more fluid and pleasing experience using Opensuse.
Just my opinion but, if you’re in an environment where setting up network printers is an “everyday” task, you’re in a situation where you should be pleased that you are asked for a root password before compromises are allowed to happen to your system.
Even in my single computer, home, standalone system, I get a feeling of security any time I am asked for that password. During the rare occasions when grandchildren, or worse, their parents, want to use my computer, I set up a user account for them and walk away secure in the knowledge that the worst they can do is trash their own account! I have to smile when they ask for the password for “something like root?”.
I’ve spent too many hours reconstructing Windows boxes to feel bothered by the checks needed for a 'nix box.
Of course, YMMV