[tex-live] strange changing permissions

[Adam R. Maxwell]

On Mar 22, 2010, at 4:20 AM, George N. White III wrote:
> We could easily put the owner in "tladmin" group with write privs on
> /usr/local/texlive, but currently MacTeX uses a
> "TeX Live Utility.app" that prompts for an admin login and then runs
> tlmgr as root.   The Apple GUI apps aren't
> available in ssh terminal sessions.

I know…as I said, I wrote that app (hereafter TLU).  If the user running TLU can write to the dir at `kpsewhich -var-value=SELFAUTOPARENT` without root authorization, TLU should /not/ prompt for admin rights.  If it does, there's a bug that I need to fix.  

Since you're using groups already, if you add the owner to the tladmin group, your problem should be solved.  I may add another workaround for this particular situation in future.

> On Apple the "TeX Live Utility.app" also creates links in "system"
> directories.  This allows the admin to switch
> the default TeX distro:

No, the MacTeX installer package does this, and it also installs the system prefpane.  TLU does not do this, which is the reason net install isn't enabled in it.