Re: Log permissions

[Wayne Dyer <dwdyer austin rr com>]

Gregory Hosler wrote:
> This is a home/personal system. but I wish not to have to su, _just_to_tail_
> logs, which I otherwise have every right to look at. I don't like root windows.

Well, the security model is such that an ordinary user doesn't have the
right to view those files.  In the same way, an ordinary user doesn't have 
the right to install rpms.

> Even though it is not possible for any other human being to have access to
> that root window, I have enpugh other windows open, that mis-clicking
> a wrong window and typing "rm ..." in the root window, might have reprecussions.

sudo is a nifty solution, as you're root only for that command.  

You could also make tail setuid root, which is probably not a good idea.

You could always use an inittab entry or an rc.local line to tail the log 
to an unused console using open, the way Red Hat used to do it by default.  
Then to view the logs, you'd just need to switch over to that console.

Something like:

open -c 10 -- /usr/bin/tail -f /var/log/uucp/Log
open -c 11 -- /usr/bin/tail -f /var/log/maillog
open -c 12 -- /usr/bin/tail -f /var/log/messages

in rc.local should work.

-W-
 Guildenstern: You can't not-be on a boat
 Rosencrantz: I've frequently not been on boats.
 Guildenstern: No, no, no--what you've been is not on boats.