Considering that some of us like Ubuntu but disagree with its root account policy, and considering how annoyed Ubuntu supporters can get when someone discloses how to unlock root, someone (a programmer, which I'm not) should make a new Ubuntu-based distro that doesn't lock the root account.

That's not a bad idea. The whole misuse of sudo/no root account thing made Ubuntu seem unnecessarily complexified to me, and I've noticed the responses(condescension to outright hostility) on some Ubuntu forums when someone asks about enabling the root account.
Maybe you should give it a try, at least in an organising/coordinating role.

Would you have to change much? Because all Ubuntu does to lock out the root account is scramble the password. Surely adding a bit to the install program to create a root password on installation would be trivial? I don't feel like maintaining a distro, but I could probably write a patch for their install program anyway. The first thing I do on my ubuntu boxes is `sudo passwd root'.

I really think that with no knowledge of modern programming and no experience in software project coordination, I couldn't be helpful in creating a distro. I'm a writer and liberal arts student, not a computer guy; and even after six years of Linux use (continuously only in the last year-and-a-half) and picking up knowledge from experience and LQ interaction, my understanding remains limited.

But Verdeboy2k could be right, because I did have an idea shortly after starting this thread. What if I unlocked the root account in Ubuntu or Kubuntu, and then remastered? I haven't learned how to remaster yet, but was planning to in the near future, because I want a copy of my distro (MEPIS 8) that installs without the things I don't want.

By the way, Verdeboy: I noticed your signature. Notwithstanding that I heard from acid_kewpie that that counter is unreliable, personally, I am registered Linux user #395039. It is quite useless to resist us. We are stronger and more efficient than your Earth people. We must be obeyed.

Eh, don't sell yourself short; you've got an idea that's worth trying, all you have to do is get some people with more technical knowledge interested. It can't be _too_ hard- just look at all the Ubuntu derivatives already out there! Pardon my enthusiasm, I just think it's a pretty cool idea 8^)

I really don't see why you want to work as root.

It seems such a trivial change, it's hardly worth a new distro, especially as it is so easy for the people who know (or know how to find out) to unlock the root user. Anybody who can't get that far probably can't use root safely and is better off being protected by ubuntu's nannying policy anyway.

I don't. It's the principle! the principle! the principle!

Bah. I do not need to be under the loving care of Nanny Ubuntu.

should do it (or thats what the german ubuntu-wiki says).
http://wiki.ubuntuusers.de/sudo/Konfiguration

I empathise but there is a lot more than access to the root user in ubuntu's nannying; why modify ubuntu to nanny you less when there are so many other distros available which would better suit you?

Only because there are a limited number of Debian-based distros out there.

which ones you wanna run?

I made my grml-remasters so that many apps open as root, rox-filer, pcmanfm, synaptic
without passwd

also, as Ubuntu user, you have almost-root rights and in some respects are root
did you setup authorizations under system menu??

you can also check the "allow local admin login" in the gdm login window and can then login as root
and will run everything as root

just understand that many apps should not be run as root