Re: [gentoo-user] Block root user from login on xorg GUI

[Stroller <stroller@stellar.eclipse.co.uk>]

On 15 Nov 2009, at 08:26, Alan McKinnon wrote:
>> ...
>> My typical experience is that the customer will take it completely on
>> the chin and pay me to fix the problems. That doesn't make foul-ups
>> due to such unnecessary meddling any less frustrating, though.
>
> My experience has been completely the opposite, same with just about  
> everyone
> else I work with. But, this is a third-world country pretending to  
> be a first-
> world country, and the cowboy attitude is very prevalent here.

I certainly have had some customers like that, but generally they're a  
minority here. Definitely preferable is to spot them early and _follow  
your instinct_ to  ditch them. The longer you entertain this rubbish  
the more of a headache it becomes.

>> One has to hope, really, that the client only wants the root password
>> as insurance in case you get run over by a bus, and won't use it to
>> arbitrarily mess about on the system.
>
> I find the root password in a sealed envelope in the safe is the ideal
> insurance for that.

Totally agree.

My biggest customer, unfortunately, has taken on a large investment of  
capital recently, resulting in a new director who's really pretty  
clueless. Basically, his dad bought him a job. He has insisted on  
Domain Administrator rights because he "just wants to do the simple  
stuff" himself; the first program he wanted to upgrade he needed my  
help with because the installer is a piece of junk. I know that he's  
going to mess things up and cost himself more money (create more  
hassles for me) in the long term, but he won't hear it and I can't  
just walk away; this is not only because I have a great relationship  
with the other owner and also because they're currently a significant  
proportion of my annual income.

He's totally a nice bloke otherwise, he just feels that I shouldn't be  
"locking him out" of his own computers, and I can kinda see his point  
- as an admin it's easy for me to feel "territorial" because I'm  
pretty good at the job, so the chances are that anyone else isn't  
going to meet my standard. Obviously it's important for me to put that  
to one side.

>>> So when he fucks things up good royal and proper, will he gladly  
>>> accept his shafting and pay you more to undo it? Or will he do the  
>>> usualcustomer stuntand blame you?

This is actually much easier for those of us who are mere  
"consultants" and who charge by the hour - we can simply reply "it was  
working when i left, guv". If it's been working fine for months then  
there is obviously nothing wrong with our previous work. Clearly there  
is room for contention if they muck about with things right after  
you've left.

Stroller.