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Use different home directories for GUI and shell access
Authored by: GlowingApple on Jan 03, '05 10:28:10AM
Rob, that looks right for Bash. I believe the command can also be shortened to just
export HOME=/usr/home/gadg
and it will have the same effect.

---
Jayson

When Microsoft asks you, "Where do you want to go today?" tell them "Apple."

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Use different home directories for GUI and shell access
Authored by: devwild on Jan 04, '05 12:54:32AM

Indeed, you can.

Alternative to this tip, you can also create a second user ("username-remote" perhaps) with the same UID. This allows you to set a seperate home directory and shell but have identical file access. This circumvents the ~username issue as well.

The drawback of course is double entry and (possibly) a second password to crack. The benefit is this user can also have a more secure password and with advanced configuration, have remote access while your GUI user does not. So, if you have a lazy password for your desktop login, it is not a vulnerability remotely.

This method is also used to allow root access to other people without giving them root passwords on some unix systems (the admins create a "root-username" account). Personally, I think it's silly and opening more holes, but others like the ability to strip someone's root access at a moment's notice and otherwise control access (but who's to say they didn't leave some other way to root your box? especially if they gave you reason to pull their rights)

Don't forget what you do if you go this route and always clean up after yourself.



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