can't open new window as root

[Juan Pablo Salazar Bertín]

Binary package hint: firefox

Steps to reproduce:

1. Open firefox with your usual user.
2. Try opening a new firefox window using "sudo firefox".

Then you get the following message: "Firefox is already running, but is not responding. To open a new window, you must first close the existing Firefox process, or restart your system."

It's a regression in Gutsy, it used to work in Feisty.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Mon Oct 15 13:40:44 2007
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 7.10
Package: firefox 2.0.0.6+2nobinonly-0ubuntu1
PackageArchitecture: i386
SourcePackage: firefox
Uname: Linux snifer-laptop 2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP Wed Oct 10 06:00:47 GMT 2007 i686 GNU/Linux

[Alexander Sack (asac)]

starting firefox as root is not supported.

Thanks,
 - Alexander

[Juan Pablo Salazar Bertín (snifer)]

Alexander, thanks for your reply, but, what do you mean by "not supported"? Let's suppose the following cases:

a) Not supported = it shouldn't be allowed. Then I think a better message is needed ("not responding"?), and I shouldn't be able to run "sudo firefox" even when no previous ff window is open (which currently I'm able to do).
b) Not supported = the result is unpredictable. I think it's not good. Previous case should be preferred.

If you think I should open a new bug for case "a" please let me know.