Very general shutdown question

[Ned Harrison]

On Monday 07 February 2005 03:28 am, you wrote:
> On Sunday 06 February 2005 11:46 am, Ned Harrison wrote:
> > I run FreeBSD 5.3 on my home PC in a stand alone machine as a desktop.  
> > Is it possible to set it up so an ordinary user can shut the system? 
> > I've created a couple of accounts that are not in the wheel group so I
> > can give friends and house guests the chance to play on a non-Microsoft
> > system.   I don't want to give them root access just to shut it down.
> >
> > None of the books which I have discuss using FreeBSD in this way.  They
> > are mostly geared to setting up networks running it for businesses. 
> > Areas where one may not want an ordinary user to be able to shutdown the
> > machine. However, I prefer having the machine off when I'm not on it.  If
> > it's not possible that fine I can continue working around it like I do
> > now.
>
> The easiest way I've found to do this is assuming you have X installed and
> are using a login manager ie. KDM/GDM/Login.app just use the shutdown
> functionality of the login manager to shutdown the system.  The most fool
> proof way if you've got ACPI on this system it to just tap the power button
> and it'll shutdown.

This sounds like what I want.  I have WDM installed and I have KDE installed.  
I didn't realize that function was there.  I've been using a terminal login 
ever sense I started using FreeBSD because that how I thought it was supposed 
to work!
I'll try to step through the setup of KDM.   I found a reference to the KDE 
display manager in the FreeBSD handbook.  It might take a few days to figure 
things out.  But this should work.  

Thanks,