How do I enable root login?

[Joe Hart]

Michel D'HOOGE wrote:
>
> Then why enabling the root account when the ubuntu guys explicitely 
> disabled it?
> I've been using Unix & Linux for years; and still, I welcomed this 
> change from su to sudo (even though I have to type more characters).
The root account is standard linux.  Many of the books tell the readers 
to log in as root, or su to do tasks, and if the root account is 
disabled, the procedures in the book will not work.  Typing sudo in 
front of all commands is a pain, and there is a simple workaround if 
you're in the shell.

sudo /bin/bash

That will change you to the root account, even though it is disabled.  
You don't need to type sudo anymore, but you should type: 

exit

when you're done.  Otherwise the root shell stays open (unless you close 
Konsole)