Translations by Joel Goguen

2008

ubuntu-doc@lists.ubuntu.com (Ubuntu Documentation Project)

mdke@ubuntu.com (Matthew East)

New to Ubuntu?

2006-09-07

Introduction to the basics of Ubuntu, and what you need to know if you are switching to Ubuntu from another operating system.

Users and Groups

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A copy of the license is available here: <ulink url="/usr/share/ubuntu-docs/libs/C/ccbysa.xml">Creative Commons ShareAlike License</ulink>.

Ubuntu Documentation Project

Canonical Ltd. and members of the <placeholder-1/>

The Ubuntu Documentation Project

During installation of Ubuntu, a single user and password is created. However, any modern operating system permits multiple users to operate the computer while preserving their own personal settings and files. On Ubuntu, each user has their own <emphasis>home directory</emphasis> in which files and settings are stored. Further, each user can be part of one or more <emphasis>groups</emphasis>, which define which parts of the system that user has access to.

To modify the users or groups on your system, you can use the <application>Users And Groups</application> application located in <menuchoice><guimenu>System</guimenu><guimenuitem>Administration</guimenuitem><guimenuitem>Users and Groups</guimenuitem></menuchoice>.

You need administrative rights to use this application (see <ulink url="administrative.xml">Administrative tasks</ulink>). You need to log out and in again in order for the changes to become effective.

To add a new user, click on <guilabel>Add user</guilabel>, fill-in the data fields then click <guilabel>OK</guilabel>. To edit the properties of each user, click the <guilabel>Properties</guilabel> button located in the main <guilabel>Users</guilabel> window.

To give a new user administrative rights (see <ulink url="administrative.xml">Administrative Tasks</ulink>), edit that user's properties, and under the <guilabel>User Privileges</guilabel> tab, ensure that the <guilabel>Administer the system</guilabel> box is checked.

To add a new group, click on <guilabel>Manage Groups</guilabel> and click <guilabel>Add group</guilabel>. Choose a name for the new group and, if you want, change the default value for the <guilabel>Group ID</guilabel>. If you try to allocate a <guilabel>Group ID</guilabel> that is in use, the system will warn you.

You can add users to the newly created group by selecting the checkbox next to each users name in the <guilabel>Group Members</guilabel> list. Removing a user is as simple as adding one: unselect the checkbox next to a users name. When you are ready, click <guilabel>OK</guilabel> and the new group with its users, if inserted, will be created.

To edit the properties of a group, from within the <guilabel>Groups</guilabel> main window, choose a group name and click on the <guilabel>Properties</guilabel> button.

To remove a user from the system, select the user you want to delete and click <guilabel>Delete</guilabel>.

To remove a group from the system, click on <guilabel>Manage Groups</guilabel>, select the group you want to delete and click <guilabel>Delete</guilabel>

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