it is safe to log in as root from console.
but, if u want to take root advantage from GUI; here is an easy way for all.

<open console & do as follows>

$ su

password:

# kdesu kwrite /etc/kde/kdm/kdmrc

search for line- 'ALLOW ROOT LOGIN'

change its value from- false to true.

Save & exit.

Reboot PC & then type 'root' as username & enter root password.

Now u log in as root from GUI. ENJOY!!

You forgot to add the warnings and gotchas about permanently logging in as root, such as screwing up the system good and proper when system files are deleted. Yes you can still do such things from the console, but it is much more unlikely. I've now been using Linux for about 8 years and never needed to run the root account in a gui.
I will admit to firing up Konqueror as root on the very rare occasion when it was easier to use it that way, but immediately close it when the particular chore was completed.
Always remember that running your entire system from the root account is like boating in a deep lake and throwing your life jacket away.

CTRL+ALT+F2
#root login
type telinit 3
#root login
startx

Good luck ....lex

Bad idea to login to a gui using root. Your just asking for problems. Since you can use su, kdesu, gksu to get the root privileges you need, there is absolutely no point to always login as root.

Extremely bad tip and I wouldn't recommend anyone using this.

Author does not write whether it has to network ....Lex

ianw1974 forgot to mention sudo, which is probably the safest method (as long as you know what to do with your /etc/sudoers file).
And of course I concur: Login in some DE as root is the worst idea one can ever have.

I think soon (maybe even 2009.0 else 2009 spring) policykit will be integrated in konqueror/nautilus/thunar and it will be possible to elevate them to root power with the click of a button

Aye, yes I always tend to forget sudo

The idea of sudo is nice, but a pain in the arse to get it all configured correctly. Especially if you want to give access to a particular command and nothing else.

And you can also install

I remember way back when root was an option on the boot menu but if it was chosen the default theme was bright red and you got a warning straight away - this seems to have gone now (though I haven't logged in as root for a while). It was handy because if you did open konqueror (or anything else) as root from the CLI then it too had this red theme making it stand out from your other windows in an obvious way. Personally I like everything single click but root stays double click as a reminder if I do open konqueror from there for a bit of file management. I should probably open kcontrol as root and change the theme but I'm fairly sure it won't work with Emerald.