[gentoo-catalyst] run without root?

[gentoo-catalyst] run without root?

[Caleb Cushing]

can catalyst be run without root access?
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Re: [gentoo-catalyst] run without root?

[Andrew Gaffney]

As long as you run it as a user that has access to all the files/dirs that 
catalyst touches *and* can chroot (probably only doable through selinux and 
friends), sure :P

Caleb Cushing wrote:
> can catalyst be run without root access?

-- 
Andrew Gaffney                            http://dev.gentoo.org/~agaffney/
Gentoo Linux Developer                                   Installer Project
Today's lesson in political correctness:      "Go asphyxiate on a phallus"
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Re: [gentoo-catalyst] run without root?

[Caleb Cushing]

I had access to what I think are all the files and directories needed.
I put everything in custom locations. that I could write to. but
catalyst complained I needed to be root. and it was catalyst not a
permission error.

!!! catalyst: This script requires root privileges to operate



On 11/27/06, Andrew Gaffney <agaffney@gentoo.org> wrote:
> As long as you run it as a user that has access to all the files/dirs that
> catalyst touches *and* can chroot (probably only doable through selinux and
> friends), sure :P
>
> Caleb Cushing wrote:
> > can catalyst be run without root access?
>
> --
> Andrew Gaffney                            http://dev.gentoo.org/~agaffney/
> Gentoo Linux Developer                                   Installer Project
> Today's lesson in political correctness:      "Go asphyxiate on a phallus"
> --
> gentoo-catalyst@gentoo.org mailing list
>
>
-- 
gentoo-catalyst@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-catalyst] run without root?

[Andrew Gaffney]

Well, it was more of a theoretical "sure". And anyway, you seem to have missed 
the "can chroot" part of my reply. Normal users cannot chroot under "normal" 
setups. Also, your user would need to be able to create arbitrary bind mounts.

Currently, the check that generates that error just checks the current UID and 
bombs if it's anything other than 0 (root). I'm sure if somebody (how about 
you?) contributed code to query the kernel for certain abilities (like 
chrooting), the catalyst developers would be more than happy to add it in to 
allow non-root catalyst use where the user has the necessary abilities.

Caleb Cushing wrote:
> I had access to what I think are all the files and directories needed.
> I put everything in custom locations. that I could write to. but
> catalyst complained I needed to be root. and it was catalyst not a
> permission error.
> 
> !!! catalyst: This script requires root privileges to operate
> 
> On 11/27/06, Andrew Gaffney <agaffney@gentoo.org> wrote:
>> As long as you run it as a user that has access to all the files/dirs 
>> that
>> catalyst touches *and* can chroot (probably only doable through 
>> selinux and
>> friends), sure :P
>>
>> Caleb Cushing wrote:
>> > can catalyst be run without root access?

-- 
Andrew Gaffney                            http://dev.gentoo.org/~agaffney/
Gentoo Linux Developer                                   Installer Project
Today's lesson in political correctness:      "Go asphyxiate on a phallus"
-- 
gentoo-catalyst@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-catalyst] run without root?

[Caleb Cushing]

I'll forward it to our developer/sys-admin since it's him that doesn't
want to give me root access, yet want's me to make a livecd, because
I'm the one that's done it. unfortunately I'm not a developer so I
have little hope of implementing what your saying.

I appreciate your answer. However, I wish that developers would stop
assuming we all have developing abilities. mine are limited to basic
shell scripting. I may learn other scripting languages at some point
but I don't have time now, and this isn't that big of an issue.

 I do appreciate however your explaining the exact technical
difficulties of the situation, because even thought I can't fix the
problem I understand it.

On 11/27/06, Andrew Gaffney <agaffney@gentoo.org> wrote:
> Well, it was more of a theoretical "sure". And anyway, you seem to have missed
> the "can chroot" part of my reply. Normal users cannot chroot under "normal"
> setups. Also, your user would need to be able to create arbitrary bind mounts.
>
> Currently, the check that generates that error just checks the current UID and
> bombs if it's anything other than 0 (root). I'm sure if somebody (how about
> you?) contributed code to query the kernel for certain abilities (like
> chrooting), the catalyst developers would be more than happy to add it in to
> allow non-root catalyst use where the user has the necessary abilities.
>
> Caleb Cushing wrote:
> > I had access to what I think are all the files and directories needed.
> > I put everything in custom locations. that I could write to. but
> > catalyst complained I needed to be root. and it was catalyst not a
> > permission error.
> >
> > !!! catalyst: This script requires root privileges to operate
> >
> > On 11/27/06, Andrew Gaffney <agaffney@gentoo.org> wrote:
> >> As long as you run it as a user that has access to all the files/dirs
> >> that
> >> catalyst touches *and* can chroot (probably only doable through
> >> selinux and
> >> friends), sure :P
> >>
> >> Caleb Cushing wrote:
> >> > can catalyst be run without root access?
>
> --
> Andrew Gaffney                            http://dev.gentoo.org/~agaffney/
> Gentoo Linux Developer                                   Installer Project
> Today's lesson in political correctness:      "Go asphyxiate on a phallus"
> --
> gentoo-catalyst@gentoo.org mailing list
>
>
-- 
gentoo-catalyst@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-catalyst] run without root?

[Caleb Cushing]

> ...and I wish that non-developers would quit assuming that developers
> are going to do everything for them just because they request it or
> think it might be cool.  *grin*

I don't recall requesting anything other than an in answer,
explanation, or howto. which I was given. This really isn't that big
of an issue. but we were wonder why it didn't work. I forwarded the
email like I said I would. I know he know's python. if he want's the
cd done he can do it himself or do one of the things you suggested.

I just don't understand why all of a sudden I'm being told to
implement it myself when I have no more interest, and less ability
than you. merely suggesting what could be implemented is fine. you
don't always have to suggest who.
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Re: [gentoo-catalyst] run without root?

[Chris Gianelloni]

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On Mon, 2006-11-27 at 14:49 -0500, Caleb Cushing wrote:
> I appreciate your answer. However, I wish that developers would stop
> assuming we all have developing abilities. mine are limited to basic
> shell scripting. I may learn other scripting languages at some point
> but I don't have time now, and this isn't that big of an issue.

...and I wish that non-developers would quit assuming that developers
are going to do everything for them just because they request it or
think it might be cool.  *grin*

Being able to run as a non-root user isn't important for catalyst's
primary development goals, which are to facilitate Gentoo releases.

You have a few options:

#1. Run catalyst on your own box, not one where someone else is admin
#2. VMware Server (it's free, you know)
#3. hack catalyst locally
#4. hire someone to do the work for you
#5. bribe a catalyst developer to do it for you

-- 
Chris Gianelloni
Release Engineering Strategic Lead
Alpha/AMD64/x86 Architecture Teams
Games Developer/Council Member/Foundation Trustee
Gentoo Foundation

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