admin

romnajin · Post by **romnajin** » March 19th, 2005, 3:32 am

When I click on memberlist, their is a name above Dave's titled "Admin" Who the heck is that? I'm assuming Dave made his name "Admin" but then decided to change it to Dave because he thought it was a stupid name.

Deathtenks · Post by **Deathtenks** » March 19th, 2005, 3:52 am

I was starting to think if you could find anything else to make a pointless issue about

Anyway....

"Admin" Is short for "Administrator"(Sp?)....Lets hope this answers your question to some extent...

romnajin · Post by **romnajin** » March 19th, 2005, 3:56 am

Let me say one sarcastic word, "Duh" I was just wandering who mister adminastrator was.

romnajin · Post by **romnajin** » March 19th, 2005, 3:58 am

Your first sentence doesn't make much sense to me. I assume you mean that I author a lot of IYHO stupid topics, and this is another of them. Is this what you mean?

Post by **Dave** » March 19th, 2005, 4:11 am

'Admin' is an account that is used to administer the forum -- it can do things like add and remove forums, and so forth. It is common to do this so that one doesn't accidentally do things one doesn't mean to while logged into one's normal account -- or so if for instance, one logged in to the forum from a public place, and then forgot to log off, someone coming along couldn't nuke the entire forum.

This technique is broadly used in computing. For instance, most modern operating systems use it -- in Unix-like systems including GNU/Linux, this administrative account is known as root, while on Windows it's simply called Administrator.

David

romnajin · Post by **romnajin** » March 19th, 2005, 4:12 am

Thanks for the info, and sorry for pissing off Deathtenks by wondering.

Post by **Sangel** » March 19th, 2005, 6:17 am

Mac OS X seems to use it as well, albeit in a different manner. Any account (or many accounts) can be assigned Administrative authority (the ability to access "root" commands), though you have to type in an administrative password every time you want to use a root function.

"fictionalmactrojan wants permission to install files into system. Please type your administrator's password to continue."]

"Err... no thank you..."

scott · Post by **scott** » March 19th, 2005, 1:07 pm

Windows:
admin = root

Others:
admin != root

Three guesses why virus writers like to write them for Windows.

romnajin · Post by **romnajin** » March 19th, 2005, 6:50 pm

Too true; that's what I have to do, even though I am the sole administrator and user; except my dad, of this computer.

Pythagoras · Post by **Pythagoras** » March 19th, 2005, 7:53 pm

scott wrote:Windows:
admin = root

Others:
admin != root

Three guesses why virus writers like to write them for Windows.

Because Windows is the favored operating system of casual internet users who don't care/know much about internet security and who are ignorant enough to click anything that pops up/comes in email.

scott · Post by **scott** » March 20th, 2005, 12:29 am

I do it too, but nothing happens to my computer. No speakee .exe.

Breeblebox · Post by **Breeblebox** » March 20th, 2005, 7:58 pm

*nix = be root

Windows = reboot

;]