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OS: Fedora 14 GUI: GNOME

I need to run an application with another user then the "default" (normally used). Purpose: create a ".desktop" file on my desktop to run e.g.: Google Chrome with another user (NOT ROOT! - so beesu doesn't count.) There aren't any gksu, or kdesu packages in Fedora 14. Why?

So i want to create a user with "adduser SOMEONE", and i want to run e.g.: Google Chrome with "SOMEONE" - then it will have minimum permissions, "more security".

Thank you!

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4 Answers 4

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Fedora uses consolehelper to facilitate running a program as a different user.

You should consider using SELinux to restrict the permissions and capabilities of the application instead though.

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I found this solution myself:

xhost local:transmission-user
sudo -u transmission-user -- /usr/bin/transmission-gtk
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  • THIS IS THE SOLUTION!! :)
    – LanceBaynes
    Feb 8, 2011 at 14:50
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Currently I use this workaround, using ssh with -X parameter to pass the X session and then invoke the program I need. It's a little stupid I think (but at least it works).

Note that MB is the other user I use (I guess SSH server must be started – I think I started it an year ago).

nki@nki-PC-S2PV ~ $ ssh mb@localhost -X
mb@localhost's password:
Welcome to Linux Mint 12 Lisa (GNU/Linux 3.0.0-12-generic x86_64...

mb@nki-PC-S2PV ~ $ firefox
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  • Lolwut. Love the idea of having a linux server with X, whose only job is running my firefox :/ >_____>
    – Rixius
    Feb 14, 2013 at 20:24
  • So the idea that this is just an example is so unrealistic that you don't even consider it as an option ? Interesting ;) Actually using it for Virtualbox with duplicated virtual machines where the hard disk signatures match and you can't have the same machine (hdd) twice). Regards :)
    – user1228603
    Feb 15, 2013 at 13:29
  • No, I wasn't saying it was unrealistic. Just that the thought had not crossed my mind. I am now colored intrigued. No malcontent meant. <3
    – Rixius
    Feb 15, 2013 at 15:40
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I wrote ego (Alter Ego) for exactly this use case, it automatically handles xhost and Wayland and PulseAudio socket sharing: https://github.com/intgr/ego

So you just run ego chromium or ego -u somebody chromium

If you run into problems, please open an issue on GitHub. I may be the only user of it, so it hasn't gotten much testing yet.

(And I notice that I'm a decade late with this answer, but hopefully it will help somebody :D)

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