set MATE as root Desktop?

[trg818]

Hi,
occasionally I need to log in as root with a full Desktop. When choosing "Other" from the login screen and logging in as root, I always have the default Gnome desktop, even though I explicitly select MATE with the fly-out menu in the login screen. Is this a bug or can root not use MATE? The other users on the system can choose their desktop that way without problems.
Thanks,
Thomas

[richyrich]

Logging in with root credentials is a very BAD choice. Why do you need to do this? What is wrong with using your sudo privilege, or gksu for running graphical apps?

http://everyjoe.com/technology/explain- ... n-as-root/

http://sickness.tor.hu/?p=264

[trg818]

I avoid it when I can, but sometimes it is more convenient. And no, I don't want to start a lengthy discussion about this, and I'm not a completely inexperienced newbie either. Apart from that, I'm asking out of interest - it should be possible, but apparently isn't.
Thanks for pointing out the possibility with gksu; this is new to me, I'm familiar only with the "traditional" sudo command on the command line. One has to know how to invoke the programs from the command line, though, which is not always obvious, especially if you're new to this distro and desktop, as I am.
Thomas