I’m still trying to sort out the different types of user accounts available to Mac OS X Leopard users. So many choices, so little time.

The new Parental Controls offer new variations. And the new Guest account comes in handy for a temp user, like Aunt Charlotte who comes to visit from Santa Fe and wants to use your Mac to edit her photos.

From what I understand:

1. Mac is a multiuser system, so in order to begin using the Mac OS, every user needs to log in to an account (unless the Mac is set to automatically start up into a given account).

2. Each user’s account is separated from that of other users, such that each person’s stuff is hidden from other people who log in with different accounts (except for shared or public folders).

3. Accounts are set up by going to System Preferences - - > Accounts and unlocking the Accounts panel (you will need to provide an Administrator password for this function)

Now these are the different types of accounts that you can create according to what privileges you wish to extend to your lowly subjects, I mean, your fellow Mac users.

1. Administrator - know it all, do it all

2. Standard - limited to making changes that affect only their account but not the system or hard drive

3. Managed account with Parental Controls - like a standard account with more limits, like hours of use.

4. Sharing Only - on a network people can log in and make use of file sharing and screen sharing

5. Group - a virtual container of user accounts that will all have the same privileges, like your kids, or boyfriends

6. Guest - for temporary or transient guests who just use your computer for a while, say thank you ma’m, and then move on.


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