Re: Mysql -> Postgresql pitfalls

On Sat, 2 Aug 2003, Chad N. Tindel wrote:

> > > <RANT>As a programmer, I personally would never write code that kept
> > > people from running things as root.  I mean, what is the point?
> >
> > If someone roots your box, it's not our fault.  Simple as that.
>
> I didn't say "require them to run as a non-root user".  I said "Give them
> the choice to decide what is correct for their environment".  In the case
> of apache, there are many internal webservers that are not exposed to the
> threat of the public internet; for such servers, it may be appropriate to run
> apache as root because it simplifies the administration and automation of
> tasks.  But to do so, one has to know how to re-compile apache, which will
> exclude a lot of your basic garden variety administrators.  Its very
> un-friendly programming.

So tell me, what does the sysadmin gain by running postgresql as root.
Seriously, what one advantage does he have?  Besides allowing him to be
lazy, I can't think of one.