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gromlok · 2010-05-09 03:27:35

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Last edited by gromlok (2019-03-10 15:21:28)

browndwarf · 2010-05-09 03:42:36

Perhaps someone with more knowledge than I could elaborate in more detail, but my understanding is that configuration files located in a user's home directory apply only to said user... System wide configuration files are stored in the /etc folder. By default, most programs (at least in my experience) are configured to check for the existence of a valid configuration file located in the /home directory for the user running the process and use that. Failing to find anything in a /home directory it will run with the system-wide config file in /etc.

Hope that helps a little.

thayer · 2010-05-09 03:43:31

Technically, you can't install a package as jimmy, unless the package can be fully installed to your /home/jimmy directory. If you install a package as root, it will typically affect all users (because the packaged software is now installed). When you install a package using 'sudo' or 'su', you're basically installing the package as root.

Some rc files will affect all users if root modifies them...for example /etc/X11/xorg.conf will affect the graphical desktop for all users. On the other hand, rc files that are contained within a user's home directory will typically affect only that user (root's personal rc files affect root's application settings, jimmy's personal rc files affect jimmy's file).

Last edited by thayer (2010-05-09 03:44:40)

cesura · 2010-05-09 03:54:57

If a config file is in your home directory, then it will only effect your user. Pretty much anywhere else, it will effect all of the users.

If you mean install packages with pacman, then you need to be root. If you mean using make, then, as thayer said, all of the contents need to be placed in folders your user has permission to write into.

gromlok · 2010-05-10 03:33:14

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Last edited by gromlok (2019-03-10 15:26:32)

DonVla · 2010-05-10 04:16:15

gromlok wrote:

Thank you very much.
I guess is cleared for me:
1) In root, will affect all other users.

Depends what you mean by "root"
User "root" has its own home directory under "/root". Configuration files under /root affect only user "root".

2) The RC files in root will affect others.

Global configuration files are stored under /etc. Depending on the application configuration files under /home/<user> have precedence over global conf files when this application is used by this <user>.
Global configuration files, like xorg.conf or rc.conf, which affect system applications or the system as a whole, cannot be modified by a single user except root (or with root privileges, eg "su -c" or "sudo"). Of course, these files affect each user on the machine.

3) I could personalize RC files for a particular non-root user.

Though minor things like keyboard setup, mouse speed, etc can be changed by each user either through helper apps or through conf files in /home/<user>.

You could install applications as a user under /home/<user>, but you have to install all needed dependencies either under / or set your LD_LIBRARY_PATH to the local directory where your own dependencies are stored, so these can be used by the application. There are different approaches, like zeroinstall, which try to provide such functionality.

Vlad

Last edited by DonVla (2010-05-10 04:31:32)

gromlok · 2010-05-10 04:28:02

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Last edited by gromlok (2019-03-10 15:21:16)

cesura · 2010-05-10 04:32:14

gromlok wrote:

For example:
If I put a file in my home of ROOT, and I use my "Jimmy" account, I will not see my file in the home of Jimmy? Or it will in all the users home files? -because is root?-
The core of the topic is: the root modification/files/etc. affect all other non-root users? ? When and when not?

No, putting a config file in root will not effect any other user. The root user is really just another user like Jimmy, except root is like the overlord with total control of everything.

To put it in perspective with an analogy:

Root : Users :: phrakture : Arch Linux

(Actually, that analogy was completely irreverent to the topic at hand)

Last edited by cesura (2010-05-10 04:35:49)

DonVla · 2010-05-10 06:39:41

gromlok wrote:

For example:
If I put a file in my home of ROOT, and I use my "Jimmy" account, I will not see my file in the home of Jimmy? Or it will in all the users home files? -because is root?-

Actually you have to clarify what you mean.
First of all "root" is a user with highest privileges, ie he can modify (somehow) each file on the system.
Further he can put local conf files in his home dir (/root), but these files affect only user "root" (eg /root/.bashrc). These file are not shared with other users. Only "root" can take advantage of them.

The core of the topic is: the root modification/files/etc. affect all other non-root users? ? When and when not?

"root" can also modify global configuration files (eg /etc/bash.bashrc). This affects all users who use the given application (in our example bash).
Then user "jimmy" can create and modify his own local configuration files in his home directory "/home/jimmy" to override global settings (eg /home/jimmy/.bashrc) to his likings.
The order in which conf files are read:
"jimmy" starts application (types "bash" into terminal) -> global conf file is read (/etc/bash.bashrc) -> local conf file is read (/home/jimmy/.bashrc). Same holds for user "root".

Here some more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filesystem … y_Standard

Last edited by DonVla (2010-05-10 06:40:45)

Arch Linux

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