Question about Wheel group.

I was wondering what the wheel group is actually used for? Is it simply a group you add users to so that they can execute some admin privilages? If so how can you keep track of what they use in this way? I know this is a newbie question but I would like to know how it all works. Any suggested reading on the subject of groups and file permissions? Thanks in advance.

The wheel group is most commonly used for two purposes:

1. To allow users in the wheel group to use the command: su root
2. To keep track of users allowed root privleges (ties into number 1, but for organizational purposes)

And to learn about file permissions, the best and simpliest way is the command: man chmod

The man command is short for manual, in which using it displays the manual (short ones) on how the command works and what it does.

You might want to look at this site it lists unix/linux commands
http://www.computerhope.com/unix.htm
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/UTCS/...sics.html#toc1

Thanks for the links and the help. I know they are stupid questions but I have to start somewhere I guess. Are there any good books on Linux that you guys would recommend? My parents limit my time online ,and I don't have a working printer. Thanks in advance.

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Thanks for the links and the help. I know they are stupid questions but I have to start somewhere I guess.

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Do NOT ever apologize for asking questions. Do not EVER make excuses for asking a question. We all started out somewhere, and I am much happier to see you ask questions than sit around on an IRC channel and get blown to bits by Linux zealots. That, and most people here at AO have a nice combination of Linux and Windows knowledge, and respect towards both (or I bring out the whip again.. we don't want that now do we guys?).

So don't feel bad, and embrace the opprotunity laid before your path.

As for books:

Linux for Dummies - Don't laugh, just because 31337 elitist morons make fun of the series, they have a talent for taking the complicated and putting it in a way more people can understand. For freshly starting out, I can not recommend this book enough.

Slackware Book - Since you are using slack, I recommend reading the online slackware book (purchaseable too, if I remember) as it not only gives an understanding of Slackware, but a great understanding of Linux, what it is, how it works, what directories stand for, etc etc.

http://slackware.com/book/

I recently got into slackware also, and a friend of mine gave me a copy of "Slackware Linux for Dummies" it really helped me bunches :-D

here it is at amazon

I checked out the slack book and am downloading the PDF file at the moment. I am going to try and find a friend who will print it for me ;) . I have "Learn Linux in 24 Hours" but it just doesn't really cover what I would like it too (not very in-depth). Thanks for the suggested reading, between it and the HOWTO's I have a lot of wor/fun/play to do!

you may want to try "A pactical guide to Linux", a couple of years old (my copy) but it is very good.

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Originally posted here by pooh sun tzu
The wheel group is most commonly used for two purposes:

1. To allow users in the wheel group to use the command: su root

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Err.:

Code:

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[chsh@host:~]$ id
uid=1000(chsh) gid=100(users) groups=66(cdrom),67(web),100(users)
[chsh@host:~]$ su root
Password:
[root@host:/home/chsh]$

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(Slackware 9.1-ish btw, why I consider this relevant)

Wheel is just a group that identifies the sysadmins (usually group id 0, though not always). On slackware, the Wheel group really doesn't appear do anything other than exist as a group, as the sysadmin tools in /sbin as well as sudo are owned by root:bin. To be on the safe side, I asked some people who'd know (#slackware on irc.freenode.net), and the response I got from c0ldbyte (a pretty thoroughly knowledgeable guy) was:
<c0ldbyte> the wheel group pretty much has no meaning except for strict systems that are enforcing strict permisions on /proc unless otherwise stated by the user in fstab as a diff group to mount as
Indeed a "find / -group wheel" as root returns no results, and the only member of the group is "root" to begin with. Note that this is not true of all distributions, everyone likes to do things a little differently, however on slackware this is the case.

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Note that this is not true of all distributions, everyone likes to do things a little
differently, however on slackware this is the case.

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I understand that, but the majority of the distros still enforce the security of wheel belonging to su root. While slackware does not take advantage of it, that does not mean he should not learn and use a standardized practice that would serve him well regardless of the distro.

This is a bit late, but you may want to check out the good, old fashioned Unix System Administrators Handbook. Lots of good info, and a great desk reference to have around. The new version has been updated to include Linux.

And as your trivia for the day, the wheel group comes from the old days of BSD, where only big wheels were sysadmins..