Auto-login???

[CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert]

Simon Chang wrote:
| Hi,
|
| I am a Linux newbie, and I am stumbling around the OS trying to find
| ways to automatically login as a user at startup.
|
| Is there a way for me to turn on the machine, and arrive at KDE
| without typing in a username and password?

I rebuke thee Satan!

|
| Thanks,
|
| Simon




(I don't have your answer, but all things are possible in Linux. Even
those that should never happen...) Ahh freedom.

- --
Respectfully,


CL Gilbert

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door() into
the sheepfold{}, but climbeth up some other *way, the same is a thief
and a robber." John 10:1

GnuPG Key Fingerprint:
82A6 8893 C2A1 F64E A9AD 19AE 55B2 4CD7 80D2 0A2D

For a free Java interface to Freechess.org see
http://www.rigidsoftware.com/Chess/chess.html

[Robert M. Riches Jr]

Post by CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert
I am a Linux newbie, and I am stumbling around the OS trying to find
ways to automatically login as a user at startup.
Is there a way for me to turn on the machine, and arrive at KDE
without typing in a username and password?

To clarify a little more what CL Gilbert probably meant by
his followup, automatic login is very widely considered to
be a very _bad_ thing to do. One of the good things about
unix-like operating systems (including Linux) is security,
including the requirement to identify yourself by typing
your username and to authenticate, or prove that's who you
are, by typing your password.

Yes, in some environments, it would be convenient to have
automatic login.

On the other hand, do you want any burglar to be able to
immediately have full access to all your data without your
knowing about it? Do you want a burglar to be able to alter
your data without you knowing about it? Assuming you have
internet access, do you want a burglar to be able to be able
to easily send threatening email to high-ranking political
leaders from your computer without you knowing about it?
Most of these things could cause you a lot of grief.

The bottom line is you might be able to do automatic login,
but you won't find very many people willing to help you. I
suspect once you learn enough to do it, you will have
learned enough to _not_ want to do it.

Good luck, and welcome to the world of Linux.

Robert Riches
***@verizon.net
(Yes, that is one of my email addresses.)

[Vwakes]

Post by CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert
I am a Linux newbie, and I am stumbling around the OS trying to find
ways to automatically login as a user at startup.
Is there a way for me to turn on the machine, and arrive at KDE without
typing in a username and password?

I agree with other posters, in that, it's akin to having your password
in a post-it stuck in the monitor. So if you know you are the only one
going to see the monitor ever then you can enable it.

Its straight forward, just look at the file 'gdm.conf' or look at

System Settings --> Login Screen.

V.

[John Mellor]

Post by CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert
I am a Linux newbie, and I am stumbling around the OS trying to find
ways to automatically login as a user at startup.
Is there a way for me to turn on the machine, and arrive at KDE
without typing in a username and password?

You should be able to reconfigure /etc/pam.d/login to accept no login and
no password, and to assume a particular userid, although it will take some
reading to discover how to do this weird action. Are you sure you really
want to do this???

[Simon Chang]

Hi to all posters,

I think I should probably clarify: We are trying to get Linux working
as a Citrix thin client by running Red Hat Linux 8.0 and ICA Client
version 7.00. Once there, it should connect us directly to a
Microsoft NT 4.0 Terminal Server. Effectively, the Linux workstation
will serve as a terminal client for NT 4.0.

So at some point the user will be authenticated, just not at the Linux
logon.

I know, I know, all this sounds heretical, especially with the mention
of the "Unmentionable" (Micro$oft). But I am trying to spread *nix in
our corporate framework (already succeeded in getting FreeBSD running
as DNS servers and internal web server).

Thanks for all your suggestions, though. I will look at the file you
mentioned.

Simon Chang

Post by CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert
Hi,
I am a Linux newbie, and I am stumbling around the OS trying to find
ways to automatically login as a user at startup.
Is there a way for me to turn on the machine, and arrive at KDE
without typing in a username and password?
Thanks,
Simon

[Vwakes]

Post by Simon Chang
Hi to all posters,

No, it's not a clarification. It's a total change of context :). Here's

Post by Simon Chang

Post by CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert
Is there a way for me to turn on the machine, and arrive at KDE
without typing in a username and password?

If this indeed is the case, follow the suggestions already offered.

Post by Simon Chang
We are trying to get Linux working as a Citrix thin client by running
Red Hat Linux 8.0 and ICA Client version 7.00. Once there, it should
connect us directly to a Microsoft NT 4.0 Terminal Server.
Effectively, the Linux workstation will serve as a terminal client for
NT 4.0.
So at some point the user will be authenticated, just not at the Linux
logon.

I don't know. You might want to start a new thread by having a catchy
subject like 'Auto-login howto with Linux and ICA Client' or something
similiar. Crosspost to comp.os.linux.misc and comp.os.linux.setup, since
it's not a RH specific question.

Post by Simon Chang
I know, I know, all this sounds heretical, especially with the mention
of the "Unmentionable" (Micro$oft).

It's ok. We don't blame you. ;-)

Post by Simon Chang
But I am trying to spread *nix in our corporate framework (already
succeeded in getting FreeBSD running as DNS servers and internal web
server).

That's the way to go :-).

Post by Simon Chang
Thanks for all your suggestions, though. I will look at the file you
mentioned.

Which file and who is 'you' here?

You might be interested in this:

http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html
http://www.uwasa.fi/~ts/http/crospost.html

:)

GL
V.

[Simon Chang]

Hi to all posters,

I think I should probably clarify: We are trying to get Linux working
as a Citrix thin client by running Red Hat Linux 8.0 and ICA Client
version 7.00. Once there, it should connect us directly to a
Microsoft NT 4.0 Terminal Server. Effectively, the Linux workstation
will serve as a terminal client for NT 4.0.

So at some point the user will be authenticated, just not at the Linux
logon.

I know, I know, all this sounds heretical, especially with the mention
of the "Unmentionable" (Micro$oft). But I am trying to spread *nix in
our corporate framework (already succeeded in getting FreeBSD running
as DNS servers and internal web server).

Thanks for all your suggestions, though. I will look at the file you
mentioned.

Simon Chang

Post by CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert
Hi,
I am a Linux newbie, and I am stumbling around the OS trying to find
ways to automatically login as a user at startup.
Is there a way for me to turn on the machine, and arrive at KDE
without typing in a username and password?
Thanks,
Simon