[shorton]

Is there a way to create a "normal" user account and have the Mac look and feel like the owner's account? When I set up another normal user and allow access to everything, including managing other users accounts, the Mac still creates a limited desktop with a user items folder, etc. all lined up along the right border of the monitor. Am I missing something here?

BTW-is accessing user accounts and loggin off of them horribly SLOW for everyone, or is it just me and my Macs?

[Paul Crawford]

Hi again, Scott:

Well, just as the Owner has a main 'Desktop Folder' folder at the root level of the hard drive, each user also has a separate 'Desktop Folder' folder (inside the corresponding personal folder in the 'Users' folder). As usual, each desktop folder is normally invisible, but can become visible to other users (provided there are sufficient access privileges); e.g., a Normal User can see the Owner's desktop folder, and the Owner can see all other users' desktop folders.

I'm extremely doubtful, but it just might be possible to mimic a shared desktop environment by placing an *alias* of the Owner's desktop folder into each user's personal folder, replacing the existing actual desktop folder. (Initially, you would need to log in as a Normal user -- or to use a utility that can toggle visibility flags, such as ResEdit or File Buddy -- to be able to see the Owner's desktop folder and create the alias. Once logged in as the Owner, you could then copy that alias as many times as needed.) However, even assuming that this can work at all and that the Finder won't choke on log-in, I suspect that non-Owner users don't have enough access privileges for it to work well (e.g., they might be able to see or open items on the Owner's desktop, but they probably won't be able to add, move or delete any items).

A better alternative might be to try the reverse approach. I.e., designate one user as a "surrogate" for the Owner, and replace the Owner's desktop folder by an alias to that user's desktop folder. Although, this may also cause major problems for the Finder or installers...

Regards,

--Paul

[shorton]

Thanks Paul,
The finder is already incredibly SLOW to change environments so temporarily, I let those who I want to truely be normal users to log in as the owner. It's not a workaround, but I don't have the time to mess with aliases to potenitally invisible files, etc. Good idea though and thanks.

[Paul Crawford]

Yes, the MU environments are sometimes a mixed blessing. Many users prefer to have a personal desktop, but many others would rather share the Owner's desktop (even if with read-only access; just as Apple did for network/dialup settings). Perhaps Apple will give us the choice in Mac OS 9.x or Mac OS 10.

Hmmm, as for the slow log-ins, they shouldn't be that glacial... One thing that can slow down the process is the Apple Menu Options control panel (*if* your Apple Menu contains an alias of a hard drive or a folder with many sub-levels, especially if the "remember recent" options are also enabled).

Regards,

--Paul

[Jeff Edsell]

Is there any big, detailed guide available for using Multiple Users?

I just started using it, so that my wife and I can have personalized destops and preferences. So far so good, but I'd love to be able to read up on MU in something more detailed than Apple Help.

Thanks,

Jeff

[shorton]

Paul is correct. Turning off recent servers in my Apple Menu Options and removing aliases to volumes and disks from my Apple menu speeded up my login IMMENSELY. Thank you, it's much, much faster now.

For Jeff,
If you find a way that you and your wife can use Multiple Users, have different passwords, and BOTH have a desktop like the usual Mac desktop (the owners desktop) please let me know how you did it.

For anyone with Multi Users and "Kid Safe." I have yet to find a way to add approved web site URLs to ALL users at the same time. It makes me go one at a time via the iTools, Kidsafe web site.

Thanks.

[This message has been edited by shorton (edited 02-01-2000).]