[techtalk] Users, groups, admins, roots...

[Britta Koch]

>So, here's question: What is the difference between someone who's an
>"administrator" and the "root" or "superuser" in Linux?  Is it  because root
>can make system level calls or something?  Basically, I would like to create
>a group of admins who can make users, configure Apache/WU-FTPD, and other
>apps, without them running the risk of accidentally screwing up the entire
>system by doing what I will heretofor refer to as the "root user mojo".

Either use sudo, or give them permissions for what they need to do, but
mark the problems I talk about later.

>Also, is it possible to have more than one "root" user; ie, someone who logs
>in as some other name but can do everything the root can?

Technically, yes (my bf has a user "god" on his system who can do all that -
"god, root, what is diffrence", in pitr's own words ;) - but some programs check for the
user id (number) of the user executing them. root always has user id (uid) 0, other users don't -
hence your problems. shutdown etc. check for uid 0 (AFAIK) - so use sudo for that kind of stuff.

Britta