[Tfug] can't start opera after su to other user

[christ]

> 
> This occurs because of X authentication.  In your home directory you should
> see a .Xauthority file.  This controls who can display on the currently opened
> X display.  When you 'su' to another user, you no longer have this file and X
> won't display for security reasons.  In the before times, X had pretty bad
> security and other people could cause windows to appear on your screen even
> though you hadn't launched them, and this prevents that.
> 
> There are a few ways around this:
> 
> 1) ssh to the root account.  Normally, ssh will forward X connections, so if

I'm sorry, I may not have been clear on this, b/c I was in a
hurry when I wrote the email, but 'su root' allows me to start
these programs. However, 'su anotheruser' does not. Incidently
ssh root at localhost did not enable this.

> 2) Copy /home/USER/.Xauthority to /root and then root will have permission to
> fiddle with the running X display.

Also did not work.

> 
> 3) As a last resort, as the original user you can run 'xhost +' to allow any X
> connection and that should work.

This did work.

> method will allow anybody to draw on your current X display.  Unless you're on
> a private subnet with no port forwarding, this is very bad.

I actually am on a private subnet with no port forwarding, but
it still makes me nervous to run this. I might need ports
forwarded in the future. does 'xhost +' survive reboots?

I'll read the man page 

-- 
christ <skeptikos at gmail.com>