Yes Matilda, there IS such a thing as an OS being too ridiculously secure!

Thoughts & Feedback
#1

Disclaimer to start with here:
U/M is 100% absolutely my choice for favourite Linux distro with zero competition IMO.

That having been said...
What I have been fighting with MAY be a -Linux- problem generally, or an Ubuntu problem generally and perhaps NOT specific to U/M - but since that is what I've been using exclusively for some years, that is what I focus upon.

The OS is protecting me from...ME !!!
Things for which adjustments are needed - but which I cannot adjust AT ALL;
Being an admin user is NOT enough;
Acting as superuser is also NOT enough;
In fact, well documented functions like changing ownership and/or perms via sudo are even blocked !!

This ranges someplace between ridiculous and utterly absurd and brings to mind a company whose flagship product is a 'perfect 10' when it comes to being lobotomized & utterly gutting the user's control over their own PC.

A possibly goofy comparison:
If/when I boot into my wonderfully convenient ISO of Parted Magic via Ventoy & USB - I have unrestricted access to ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING !!!

This type of full, unrestricted access should somehow be possible to me and/or anyone else on their OWN PC & daily driver OS as well - but it is NOT available AFAIK !?!

If such a method can be enabled - then please - will someone show me where to find that info ??

This is MY PC & it is for MY usages ONLY - so if I screw it up - that is on ME - and this idea applies to anyone, really.
If they CHOOSE to have such unrestricted access - then screw it up, then THEY get to fix it too.

Otherwise this is like being able to obtain a car quite legally such that it is YOURS - getting in, starting it up - but then NOT being allowed to drive it...
A truly absurd situation - and yes - I know there are self-driving cars now, and even when they don't screw up they DO have a manual override.

Our OS of choice NEEDS also to have a full, manual override.
YESTERDAY.

#2

Can you give a specific example please

#3

Nice rant, but after reading it, I still don't know what you're talking about. How about some concrete examples of where you are being stopped from doing what you want.

#4

As was said:

Things for which adjustments are needed - but which I cannot adjust AT ALL ;
Being an admin user is NOT enough;
Acting as superuser is also NOT enough;
In fact, well documented functions like changing ownership and/or perms via sudo are even blocked !!

A fine example is posted here:


(Clearer hopefully, for anyone who griped about my 'rant' ?!?)

Goal:
For the user to basically be able to do ANYTHING - totally like root, but as user - without having to log in as root.

#7

Can you try one of the following and see if it helps?

  • Edit /etc/sudoers as follows. Start with sudo visudo (not directly edit the file)
    • comment out (put # in front of) the %sudo line.
    • Paste %sudo ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL below that line. Save and exit. May be reboot?!. This stops asking for password for sudo.
  • Add desired user to the root group.
    sudo usermod -a -G root <username>

I haven't tried the suggestions myself. Hopefully you will try this first on a VM to confirm.

#8

Thanks for your thoughtful reply Saivinoba !!

I am 100% fine with using the PW for sudo - and:
Since using it hasn't changed the outcome of my USB ownership commands, it is of little concern UNLESS it may somehow change how that will respond such that it will WORK ?!?

As to the 1000 user - it is already a member of group 0, and again, that has not brought the goodness which I seek.

A very baffling situation to be sure !!!

#9

Did you upgrade from Windows ?

#10

Hi Guy.
If by that you mean 'was there another OS present previously on my system' - that answer is...no=>
This was a 100% fresh installation on 100% new h/w.
(With zero GPT/UEFI/'secure boot' baloney - just plain old MBR & BIOS booting - TB limits be damned !!)

I gave up on that entire 'other' OS category after XP, hence my prior mention:

I do not need to 'be kept safe' from myself by ANY domineering OS - which is exactly why gaining appropriate learning & answers is so very important IMO.

Slight edit/addendum:
After seeing plenty of folks suffering from the pains of trying & failing to get Linux onto their super-duper new h/w after it had been at 1st made to run that 'other' OS I already knew it was a powerfully tipped playing field, and after all this time I read an article today which says this:

So we got UEFI, which is an Intel standard and was designed to boot Windows and basically nothing else. That's why getting a free Linux to boot on UEFI can be such a pain.

It is actually a totally worthy read IMO, and can be found here:

Happy Holidays to All !!!