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View Full Version : On average, how often do you type your sudo password per day?



aysiu
May 28th, 2008, 06:08 PM
Someone in a recent WordPress blog post (http://gordallott.wordpress.com/2008/05/28/ubuntu-asks-for-my-password-far-too-much/) thinks Ubuntu asks for a password far too often and says
i have to enter it a few times every day That seems rather a lot to me. I use the less-secure Eee Xandros (in which you're never prompted for a password for sudo), but when I used Ubuntu, I don't remember having to enter my password a few times a day.

Am I alone in that?

How often, on average, would you say you have to type your sudo (or gksudo or kdesu) password a day?

And if you do type it in quite frequently, can you mention some of these administrative tasks you perform often?

monstermudder78
May 28th, 2008, 06:13 PM
Now I am always messing with things, but I type that password so many times a day I shortened it down to the point it really isn't funny.

aysiu
May 28th, 2008, 06:32 PM
Who answered 16 or more? What do you do? Every 15 minutes you install a new piece of software? Was that you, monstermudder78?

Mazza558
May 28th, 2008, 06:36 PM
I tend to do several things in one go, so I can get several admin tasks done within 15 mins. The max I have to enter my password is probably 3 times a day.

smartboyathome
May 28th, 2008, 06:38 PM
I use arch mostly now, but on my laptop, which runs Ubuntu, I don't type it too often (I figure that I use Ubuntu for normal tasks an average user would). I leave Synaptic up usually, and I use sudo su if I am doing extensive stuff as root.

aaaantoine
May 28th, 2008, 06:39 PM
4-5 Times per Day

On average:

- Once to install (or check for) updates
- Once or twice to check out packages, versions in Synaptic
- Once or twice to run apt-get install, remove, or whatever, OR use Add/Remove Programs.
- Sometimes once to play with some miscellaneous admin task.

notwen
May 28th, 2008, 06:43 PM
Five times on a horrid day maybe? 2-3 times would seem possible, but I have had days where I never need admin privileges. It seems that a lot of Ubuntu users tend to tinker a lot, which could cause a higher number of password prompts.

bsharp
May 28th, 2008, 06:46 PM
Well, I voted before I totally read the question. I voted 16 or more, thinking it was how often do you use sudo, gksudo, or kdesudo? instead of how many times do you type your password for these? I'd say it's more like 4-5 times, when I boot up my system every day, I update and upgrade from the cli, ssh into my server and do the same, ssh into my desktop (if im on my laptop) and update it too.

FuturePilot
May 28th, 2008, 06:49 PM
I'm going to say about 6-7 times. Although I think most of the time it's less. I like to tweak my system and play around with things so I usually do sudo this or gksudo that a lot.

monstermudder78
May 28th, 2008, 06:50 PM
Who answered 16 or more? What do you do? Every 15 minutes you install a new piece of software? Was that you, monstermudder78?

I answered 10 - 11. But some days I'm sure it's over 20 :)

aysiu
May 28th, 2008, 07:01 PM
Well, I voted before I totally read the question. I voted 16 or more, thinking it was how often do you use sudo, gksudo, or kdesudo? instead of how many times do you type your password for these? Sorry. the poll question and thread question discrepancy might be responsible for that misunderstanding. I'm going to retitle the thread to match the poll question.

qazwsx
May 28th, 2008, 07:04 PM
I use root and tend to leave terminal open :popcorn:

If you are carefull it is not dangerous. :)

I use sux so I can use X apps

robertchahine
May 28th, 2008, 07:06 PM
16 or more !!
i use a lot of sudo aptitude and apt-get and chmod especially when sharing.
And of course when editing fstab or etc text files i use gksudo gedit.
by the way i like the fact to be asked on the password

bobbocanfly
May 28th, 2008, 07:16 PM
Pbuilder (for testing debian packages) requires root permissions as it is based around /var. If you are using this and installing/removing a few packages each day you can easily get over 16.

Dr Small
May 28th, 2008, 07:20 PM
I do a lot of maintenance on my server sometimes, so I just skip sudo and login as root. Saves me a word per command. But on average with my desktop, ah, I may use it 5 to 6 times a day.

Barrucadu
May 28th, 2008, 07:23 PM
I voted 4-5, because generally I'm tinkering with something important such as my initscripts or kernel.

arsenic23
May 28th, 2008, 07:33 PM
16 or more here, but that's on multiple physical machines.

I run about 5 computers from my single desktop all in terminal windows and I have to sudo alot. chown is more then likely my number one sudo use, as I have to torrent alot of files on the server and then move them to the correct user.

If I didn't do the above, though, it would more then likely be 1-2 times a day. Once for my daily updates and then a little extra for when I install or compile something.

aysiu
May 28th, 2008, 07:36 PM
Maybe
sudo -i might come in handy for some of the 16+ crowd?

Sinkingships7
May 28th, 2008, 07:54 PM
I voted 16+, but the only reason I have to do it so much is because I lock my computer every time I walk away from it (have a little brother who likes to get into things). So everytime I come back, I have to type it in to get back into the system. On top of that I do a few file mods and install at least one thing a day.

cardinals_fan
May 28th, 2008, 08:00 PM
I enter su once, handle all my system configuration, and exit root.

SteveNorman
May 28th, 2008, 08:06 PM
Trying to install a game in /, and all the tweaks it needs'

this is the game BTW
http://linux.ketsujin.com/

radagast1155
May 28th, 2008, 08:11 PM
Installing things from apt and inside terminal. I dont like logging in as root unless I have too

Eisenwinter
May 28th, 2008, 08:22 PM
I voted 10-11 times.

Usually I either install or remove software with apt-get.
Sometimes it's for sudo make install.

Other times it's to configure files (grub, etc).

ghindo
May 28th, 2008, 09:22 PM
A lot. I'm not sure if it's 16+, but a lot. I'm still learning and messing around with things, so sudo tends to come up a lot. Maybe I should use sudo -i.

aysiu
May 28th, 2008, 09:43 PM
I have to say I find the results rather surprising. I didn't realize so many people entered their passwords a lot every day. Well, I learned something new today.

Dr Small
May 28th, 2008, 09:57 PM
I have to say I find the results rather surprising. I didn't realize so many people entered their passwords a lot every day. Well, I learned something new today.
I enter my password A LOT :)

Superkoop
May 28th, 2008, 10:10 PM
I voted 4-5.
Some days 20 would be more accurate, but then other days, I never use it. I use it for all of the above reasons,installing stuff/compiling and installing/changing things when I remember/configuring/etc.
=)

corney91
May 28th, 2008, 10:23 PM
I can't honestly say an average because some days I decide to look around for new programs and so install alot but some days it's just once on a quick apt-get upgrade:)

Dr Small
May 28th, 2008, 10:28 PM
I don't have gksudo, here on Arch (at least I couldn't find it in the repositories), so I created my own, called 'gsudo':

#!/bin/bash
# A Simple substitute for GkSudo


cmd=$(zenity --title="Gsudo" --entry --text "Password for: $1" --hide-text)
echo $cmd | sudo -S $1

return_value=$?
case $return_value in

1)
cmd1=$(zenity --title="Gsudo" --entry --text "Incorrect Password" --hide-text)
echo $cmd1 | sudo -S $1
exit;;

0)
exit 0
esac

beercz
May 28th, 2008, 10:45 PM
I tend to do several things in one go, so I can get several admin tasks done within 15 mins. The max I have to enter my password is probably 3 times a day.
I also tend to do several things in one go, usually immediately after logging on. Therefore my maximum times per day is usually 1, possibly 2.

I voted 0-1

kragen
May 28th, 2008, 10:47 PM
I tend to play around adding and removing software fairly often.

Trail
May 29th, 2008, 07:44 AM
0-1. I edited the sudoers file to not ask for password...

Though I type it sometimes to unlock my desktop.

bufsabre666
May 29th, 2008, 07:49 AM
on an average day, around 10, on somedays however it would be well over 30, maybe even well over 50, but come on its a password, does this really make people worry?