Description of problem: Invoking a simple `mock --version` command yields a root password prompt, if your user isn't in the 'mock' group. Sure, one can work around this via `rpm -q mock`. But this also breaks fedora-review which unconditionally calls `mock --version` even if it doesn't need to use mock - e.g. with `fedora-review --help`, `fedora-review --version` or `fedora-review --prebuilt ...`. One could argue that fedora-review should be fixed instead but requiring root for displaying the version string is just the most surprising thing and thus clearly violates the principle of least astonishment. See also https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=366711#c3 for another surprised user. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): mock-1.4.9-1.fc27.noarch How reproducible: always Steps to Reproduce: 1. make sure that your user isn't a member of the 'mock' group 2. mock --version 3. Actual results: You are attempting to run "mock" which requires administrative privileges, but more information is needed in order to do so. Authenticating as "root" Password: Expected results: The trivial output of the version number. Additional info:
This will be very complicated to implement. The checking of privilege is done consolehelper before mock is actually executed. So I cannot really done there some "if args[0] == '--version' then do not ask for root" If fedora-review needs this (and do not want to run 'rpm -q' for some reason') you can run: /usr/libexec/mock/mock --version This executable is run by consolehelper itself and does not check for the root.