MySQL Root Account

[Roger Oberholtzer]

On Tue, 2005-02-08 at 21:40, A. Khattri wrote:
> On Tue, 8 Feb 2005, Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
> 
> > I am sure it is. But I always wonder what 'state' MySQL is in when it is
> > installed by various distros. Is there a root user? One for each
> > interface? Is there a password set yet? I think this comes from me not
> > using it enough.
> 
> There is a root user and it has no password but for good reason.
> 
> Normally, when installing manually, one has to run a script
> ("mysql_install_db") to setup the initial mysql tables. Once this script
> has been run you then create a separate superuser account and lock the
> root account and never use it again (you could delete the root account at
> that point I suppose).
> 
> If you are upgrading MySQL you never have to run this install script so it
> isn't an issue. (Im assuming RPMs do this setup for you when installing
> for the first time).

And which user/password is needed each time a new database is added? Say
I add an app that wants a database installed. Apps seldom do this direct
as they need a user/password to add the database. The superuser account?
I know there are books on this. But I do not want to be (don't have time
to be) a MySQL expert...

I think MySQL is polluted with admin passwords beyond those needed by
each individual application. If my whole computer can get by with one
clear top level (root) password, why does MySQL insist on letting there
be multiple 'root's?

I don't need an answer to these things. I just tolerate them.

-- 
Roger Oberholtzer <roger at opq.se>