accounts

[x_Ray]

OK maybe a silly question but, here goes. When I went into linuxconf to add a user I noticed many accounts...ftp,games, etc.. Is this normal? Can I delete these, or is there a reason for them. sorry if its dumb =]

[vee-eye]

We all ask ourselves this question in our early days of Linux. :)

These accounts are used by system daemons (background processes). The ftp daemon needs access to the filesystem, so it uses the ftp account to write to it. It is dangerous to allow all daemons access to the root account because then they would have no security from each other, so they use separate "imaginary" accounts.

So don't delete them. :p

[ 13 April 2002: Message edited by: vee-eye ]

[mdwatts]

Some of those account you MAY be able to delete without harm to your system. I would highly recommend you leave them alone.

We once had a LNO member that deleted most of those system accounts and ended up reinstalling.

[x_Ray]

ok thanks, I guess I'll leave them be then.

[mdwatts]

Originally posted by x_Ray:
<STRONG>ok thanks, I guess I'll leave them be then.</STRONG>

That would be best unless you want to practice either trying to fix it after (almost impossible) or reinstalling. ;)

Always better to ask here first then going ahead with deleting those system accounts.