Weird root password caching in GNOME

[DAVID BALAZIC]

On a Fedora test3 system I logged into X as a regular user.
Started "System Settings / Date & Time" from the menu and was asked for the root
password. I entered it and the data/time dialog appeared. I closed it. The status bar
had the keys icon on it , indicating that the root password was "cached". Then I started
/usr/bin/redhat-config-date from a terminal window and was asked again for the root
password ( in a dialog ). Why ?

I entered it again, the date/time dialog appeared, I closed it, started again
/usr/bin/redhat-config-date and now it did not ask for password.

Same problem also with redhat-config-xfree86 , when run from menu, it asks for root
password, then if run from terminal it asks again, then when run again from
terminal , it does not ask.

As if there were a separate "cache" for start menu and terminals. Each terminal that is.
Is that by design ?
Or a bug ?


Regards,
David Balazic