Network question, managing 2nd account as root

[stoer]

Hi all,
Can anyone explain to me how to do the following...

I have my own user account, fine everything working.
I have now created a 2nd user account for my son - aged 4.
I cannot access/modify the wireless connection/internet from within this account without root privelages... Is there an easy way to use root from within another account or must this be done via users and groups from within my own account?
I'd like to install software to his user account eg. educational/games but not to my own account, again a root thing...
Much appreciate any advice you can throw my way
Thanks.

[stoer]

Ok...
found out what the problem was with the first part of my question - setting up internet/wireless access for 2nd user.
* I could establish contact with the router/wireless network but the connection would then disconnect within a couple of seconds, i was trying to work arround this by setting it up manually (No Root access).
Problem was with the keyring manager, it wasn´t making a connection/key for the wireless connection. Now it is and wireless stays connected!

I still like to know if it´s possible to work as Root from within a second users account though, seeing as my son is so young a limited account seems to be the best way to go, don´t want him having too much power

[Boo]

The way is via a terminal.
open terminal window.
switch user to your account.

su - your_user_name

now you can use sudo from your account.
this is the prefered way.

[stoer]

The way is via a terminal.
open terminal window.
switch user to your account.

su - your_user_name

now you can use sudo from your account.
this is the prefered way.

Ok!
logical and probably what i was afraid you were going to say ...
Just need to figure out now how to install games and programs in a terminal instead of using synaptic to do so....

back to the books.

Thanks for the reply and quick answer.

[Boo]

you can install them from your account.

or

apt-get is you cli friend.

sudo apt-get update

you can use synaptic to find the name of the game then:

sudo apt-get install game_name

[antiquexray]

su - your_user_name

now you can use sudo from your account.
this is the prefered way.

Why the su - and not su?

[scorp123]

Why the su - and not su?

Code: Select all

man su

... is your friend But in short: That minus "-" behind su will make sure all profile variables and login files get loaded too, as if you had logged in as that account right from start.

Or to put it another way: "su -" is cleaner than a mere "su".