Root privileges in systemsettings

[Dario Freddi]

I have found some references for Win & Mac.

Windows:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd550643(VS.85).aspx

Mac:
http://developer.apple.com/DOCUMENTATION/Security/Conceptual/authorization_concepts/01introduction/introduction.html

The Mac one in particular seems very well documented and carries a pair of 
examples too. Its design looks also, if not the same, very similar to 
PolicyKit's one, and that is surely a plus.

Both (Win & Mac) systems also use the caller+helper technique, so such a thing 
is definitely possible, and the right way to go.

Now I just need some help from a Win and a Mac developer to draft the API, 
since I don't have nor the time nor the will to start studying their methods & 
API. CC-ing kde-win and kde-mac on this purpose. Please reply on -core-devel.

Dario

On Sunday 22 March 2009 16:11:08 you wrote:
> A Diumenge, 22 de març de 2009, Dario Freddi va escriure:
> > Hello people,
> >
> > As you might know, I'm in the process of making systemsettings+kcmshell
> > able to use policykit for getting root privileges and bring back the
> > almighty "Administrator button" (or better not, since it will be thrown
> > away in any case).
> >
> > Though, we have a small problem here regarding multiplatform stuff.
> > PolicyKit is strictly for Linux (afaik it doesn't even run on Mac OS), so
> > adding bare PolicyKit support would lead to a lot of ifdefs, hence a real
> > mess.
> >
> > I wrote a mail to kde-windows and kde-mac, but got no replies, so I
> > decided to go on with my idea and propose it here.
> >
> > What I basically thought about is a library with a Solid-like design for
> > managing authorizations. Then we can create various backends for it (one
> > using PolicyKit, one using Mac stuff, etc) and abstract the problem by
> > making all applications in KDE needing PolicyKit using this new library
> > instead.
> >
> > A possible take would be reimplementing this in Solid. I know, Solid is
> > hardware specific, but since the design is almost the same, a lot of code
> > would be duplicated.
>
> I would not go with solid, also i don't think it is that much duplication,
> after all what you need is 'just' a class that loads a different backend
> depending on the system the user is on, right?
>
> Albert
>
> > If you think this is a good idea, I can step forward and provide an API
> > draft in a while.
> >
> > Cheers

-- 
-------------------

Dario Freddi
KDE Developer
GPG Key Signature: 511A9A3B

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