Re: Proposed modules: my consensus so far

[Benoît Dejean <benoit dejean placenet org>]

Le vendredi 26 novembre 2004 �6:00 +0000, Mark McLoughlin a �it :
> Hi Beno�

hi :)

> 
> 	If you feel the feature is insecure and poorly implemented, one
> immediate option you have is just to disable it ...

that's a valid point !

> > So libgnomesu may be reworked, extented ..., but right now, it's the
> > best solution i have.

>   ... worries me because it leaks some admin-tool functionality into a
>   user tool which I think is likely to be frustrating and confusing for
>   users who *don't* have root. It also isn't optimal for users who *do*
>   have root - having to type the root password for every process you
>   want to kill isn't fun.

this should be handled in libgnomesu. Current procman code does
(checking if already root, no need to prompt password).

> 	The two features that require root in procman is "Change Priority" and
> "Kill Process", right? If someone who does have root uses
> gnome-system-monitor for either of these tasks, they're not going to
> enjoy typing the root password every time. If someone who doesn't have
> root tries to use either of these features and are then told they're not
> allowed too, I think they will be irritated by the unpredictability of
> tool - "if I'm not allowed do this, why did you put the button there?".

right, libgnomesu is disabled if you don't install it as root.
Someone pointed that libgnomesu does not use GError but return
TRUE/FALSE.

    if (!gnomesu_exec ("gedit")) {
        g_printerr ("Unable to setup a subprocess!");
        return 1;
    }

-> you don't know if 'gedit' has not been found or if gnomesu-backend has no s-bit.
It should either use GError or provide a function to check
gnomesu-backend's permission.

> 	Personally, I think it would be a lot more sensible for procman to have
> an "admin mode" and a "user mode". If run in "admin mode", e.g. as root,
> then "Change Priority", "Kill Process" would be in the menu and in admin
> mode it wouldn't.

i don't agree. nice/kill is not sysadmin.

There are currently 2 views :  'My processes' and 'All processes',
that's a kind of admin mode. root password would be prompted only in
'all processes' view when trying to renice/kill a process that is not
yours. In the 'My Processes' view, you can only see your processes, so
that's safe.

> > > But that's just my opinion. You are the maintainer.
> > 
> > if this means that i'm free to use it or not, i'm going to commit
> > Hongli's patch tonight. Thanks
> 
> 	The way things work currently is that maintainers are free to add
> dependancies and new modules like this. But I think that's under the
> assumption that the maintainer does so in co-ordination with the rest of
> the project - i.e. that there's a general consensus that is a good idea,
> doesn't conflict with anything else etc. I don't think its valid for a
> maintainer to add a module/dependancy while ignoring ongoing
> discussion/disagreement about whether its a good idea.

I'm pretty new to gnome, that's why i'm asking. I don't want to be free,
i'm just asking what should i do. I wanted somebody to make a clear
answer : if it's not 0K for everyone, it's not OK for me.
-- 
Beno�Dejean
JID: TazForEver jabber org
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