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This is very annoying. I don't want to sound like a drag or anything to you security people but I switched over from windows and everytime I install or do something I need to type a password. Is there anyway to disable this?

(And please don't try to talk me out of it. Its legitly annoying.)

Edit: I'm going back to windows. This is just too annoying. First removing of Gnome and then forcing this garbage. What is this? NSABuntu?

Cameron Rogers
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    Hi Cameron. Authentication is essential. I don't want to talk you out of it, but if you do not care about security, you'd indeed be better of with windows. :) There is a learning curve to linux and it is not for everyone. – don.joey Aug 08 '14 at 16:45
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    There is a reason for Windows having virusses... and this is one of the reasons we do not. – Rinzwind Aug 08 '14 at 16:45
  • Guys, downvoting this question is not going to help the OP. – don.joey Aug 08 '14 at 16:46
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    its not that annoying, you'll get used to it. its not that you have to install new packages everyday. and once you enter it once it sticks for 15 mins – mzzzzb Aug 08 '14 at 16:49
  • I don't understand what the problem is. In Windows you also have to authenticate to install software/change system settings with a password. Earler in linux there was nothing as `sudo` and you where never prompted for authentication. Most modern Linux distributions (also ubuntu) copied such a mechanism from windows operating systems. This questions looks for me like a frust post. What should one answer to this? – chaos Aug 08 '14 at 16:59
  • @Chaos not always, only in vista+. XP didn't need it, did it? – Tim Aug 08 '14 at 18:05
  • XP is out of support. – chaos Aug 08 '14 at 18:08
  • @chaos, yes, but that is probably where they came from. – Tim Aug 08 '14 at 18:09
  • @CameronRogers What you're asking for is feasible, reasonable (provided you understand the risks), and has been asked and answered before. These should help: [Is there a way to never have to put in your password after you have logged in?](http://askubuntu.com/q/48704/22949), [How to make Ubuntu remember forever the password after the first time](http://askubuntu.com/q/43969/22949), [How to prevent system applications (like the Software Center) from asking for password?](http://askubuntu.com/q/18222/22949), [Execute sudo without Password?](http://askubuntu.com/q/147241/22949) Good luck! – Eliah Kagan Aug 09 '14 at 00:05
  • Id like to say I've switched back to Windows 8. Seems to be working. However, I would still like to see how to disable it just incase of the future. – Cameron Rogers Aug 09 '14 at 21:11

1 Answers1

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Umm what do you mean "everytime"? I'm sitting here and I don't have to...

To install a program, what the computer does is (essentially 1) runs apt-get on a file you downloaded. As you may know, apt-get actually has to be sudo apt-get2.

So any GUI program (like the software centre) that is installing things (using an equivalent of apt-get) has to become root (done in terminal with sudo). Somehow, the Software centre has to have root privileges, and it does that by asking you your password. If you install everything in one go, it will only ask once (in fact, every 15 mins I believe).

If you are desperate to stop it, you can run the command sudo software-centre in terminal and anything you install won't require your password. Make sure you close it when it's done.

You've come over from windows, and on windows you can lower the amount of times you have to type (in UAC setting). This is not possible in Ubuntu because to do what you are evidently wanting to do you have to be sudo. To be sudo, it needs your password.

Whenever you have to change a folder that your don't have write access to (i.e. anything other than /tmp and /home/USER) you have to become root, so that it can be modified.

That is why installing needs root (it changes /usr/binand other non-write folders). Adding a new user needs to change/home` and you don't have write access to that, only read.

This "Annoyance" is one of the reasons why you are highly unlikely to get a virus, or similar! Programs can't just run and destroy stuff.

If you can't cope, go back to windows. Have fun with the antivirus software, and restarts after every updates, and the expensive support, and the awful ui, and the price of the OS. 3

1 I do know that it isn't apt-get, and is just an equivalent, but this is a good way to explain why it needs a password, when windows doesn't

2 Or root by any other means

3 No offence to anyone who prefers all that.

Tim
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