On 1/7/23 08:50, Ray Andrews via Users wrote:
On 2023-01-06 21:08, bork via Users wrote:


Normally, & esp. for "non-expert" coders (I am not), not a good idea 
to edit root owned files. WHEN possible, copy the file into the user 
home directory (~/).  But not executable or library files, etc.
In your user home dir, you don't (& should NOT) be using 
"root-anything" - in code, as a gen. rule.


Bork:

It's all good.  I run as root all the time.  I know I'm not supposta, 
but I do.  In 10 years of running Linux I've had one problem, namely a 
.jpg downloaded without permission.  I'm always tinkering with 
root-owned files so I just got sick of sudoing back and forth and I just 
stay as root.
Now there's something not seen everyday!  A Linux user that has their everyday login running as root.
To each their own.  But honestly, if you constantly use linux in root mode, you may not know how many "problems" there have been. That your bank accounts haven't been emptied (I assume) is a good thing.
There's lots else someone can do once they have control of your machine, that you may / may not know about.

"Tinkering w/ root owned files" (while off line) is one thing.
But why would you browse the web, download files & any other activity not needing root, constantly in root mode?