The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

l0vot · 2015-01-06 14:07:56

The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed, I need to run makepkg as root, or at least root privileges in order to use the AUR without constantly switching users. I understand some people prefer to avoid the use of root privileges if they can help it, but people should be free to choose. How would I get makepkg to run as root like it used to? If not I will be forced to use make instead, which is more dangerous and does not use pacman to make sure packages install/uninstall/upgrade cleanly.

clfarron4 · 2015-01-06 14:12:35

There are several threads which may be related, because of yaourt if you look:

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=191793
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=191873

Trilby · 2015-01-06 14:15:16

l0vot wrote:

I understand some people prefer to avoid the use of root privileges if they can help it, but people should be free to choose. How would I get makepkg to run as root like it used to?

I agree. I've also received emails from a veteran archlinux user curious about the same thing as he runs a root-only system.

I have no current input, but as I'm sure some might find this a bit controversial I wanted to put a moderator blessing on (part of) this topic. With the caveat that new users should not take it as good advise to do so, some knowledgeable linux users opt to run root-only, and if we can help them find a way to user their system the way they want, that would be worth a forum thread. But lets please keep any discussion of whether running everything as root is wise out of this thread.

Scimmia · 2015-01-06 14:29:50

l0vot wrote:

The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed, I need to run makepkg as root, or at least root privileges in order to use the AUR without constantly switching users.

There's no "need" to run makepkg as root. At worst you can just su to nobody and build.

l0vot wrote:

I understand some people prefer to avoid the use of root privileges if they can help it, but people should be free to choose.

The authors disagree. The option was only there because fakeroot used to cause problems occasionally, and it doesn't now. With that issue out of the way, there's little sense in keeping the extra code complexity for the option when there's no real use case.

l0vot wrote:

How would I get makepkg to run as root like it used to?

You can patch it back in, but that is, of course, totally unsupported.

l0vot wrote:

If not I will be forced to use make instead, which is more dangerous and does not use pacman to make sure packages install/uninstall/upgrade cleanly.

No, you will not be forced to do so, it would only be stubbornness that would force you there.

drcouzelis · 2015-01-06 14:36:56

Scimmia wrote:

There's no "need" to run makepkg as root. At worst you can just su to nobody and build.

That's pretty cool! I had no idea the "nobody" user could be used like that.

Scimmia · 2015-01-06 14:43:30

drcouzelis wrote:

Scimmia wrote:
There's no "need" to run makepkg as root. At worst you can just su to nobody and build.
That's pretty cool! I had no idea the "nobody" user could be used like that.

You'd have to set it up as login isn't allowed by default on that account, but it lets you reuse an existing user so it doesn't even clutter up your system.

Allan · 2015-01-06 15:22:28

alias makepkg="sudo -u nobody makepkg"

Edit: fix command.

Mr.Elendig · 2015-01-06 15:23:45

l0vot wrote:

The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed, I need to run makepkg as root, or at least root privileges in order to use the AUR without constantly switching users. I understand some people prefer to avoid the use of root privileges if they can help it, but people should be free to choose. How would I get makepkg to run as root like it used to? If not I will be forced to use make instead, which is more dangerous and does not use pacman to make sure packages install/uninstall/upgrade cleanly.

Just set up sudo and use makepkg -i >_>

l0vot · 2015-01-06 16:14:07

I installed fakeroot and sued in as a different user to use aurget, while this works having to log in as someone else just to do things that require root privileges anyways is ridiculous. Everyone should have the choice to run everything as root, no matter how unsafe the devs might think it is. I'm not trying to convince anyone that running as root is a good idea, just that it should always be an option.

Scimmia · 2015-01-06 16:54:23

http://xkcd.com/1172/

Yep

l0vot · 2015-01-06 17:34:20

Scimmia wrote:

http://xkcd.com/1172/
Yep

That is an example of the devs actually fixing a problem that affects all of the users.

This is an example of the devs going out of their way to annoy people who run as root. For those who avoid invoking root privileges the removal of the --asroot flag, or the need for the --asroot flag to run makepkg as root to begin with has no effect. For those that avoid using root privileges there was never a problem. The modification wasn't for saftey reasons, it was to irritate the root users, just like when any other software dev adds a piece of code to their program just to annoy root users and force their beliefs on how a system should be ran on everyone else. The root users know the risks and run as root anyways. Stop trying to force safety on people who have willingly exchanged safety for power.

jasonwryan · 2015-01-06 17:53:39

Newsflash: it isn't all about you. No-one is "going out of their way to annoy people who run as root."*

Please stop your trolling: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo … o_Trolling

Closing

* Except me, obviously.

Arch Linux

#1 2015-01-06 14:07:56

The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

#2 2015-01-06 14:12:35

Re: The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

#3 2015-01-06 14:15:16

Re: The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

#4 2015-01-06 14:29:50

Re: The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

#5 2015-01-06 14:36:56

Re: The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

#6 2015-01-06 14:43:30

Re: The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

#7 2015-01-06 15:22:28

Re: The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

#8 2015-01-06 15:23:45

Re: The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

#9 2015-01-06 16:14:07

Re: The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

#10 2015-01-06 16:54:23

Re: The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

#11 2015-01-06 17:34:20

Re: The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

#12 2015-01-06 17:53:39

Re: The makepkg --asroot flag appears to have been removed

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