what are the differences? and can standard account download applications without administrator privileges? and what settings does standard account have access to?
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administrator vs standard account privileges?
- Thread starter bluedoggiant
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The standard account can be given permissiosn to have almost all the same permissions as the Admin account.
But it would ask you regularly for the Admin password when installing things and so.
Many people say it is better to use a standar account for the day to day use, this way your computer is more secure. I myself prefer using the Admin account always.
To answer your first questions, yes, you can download apps, but it may sometimes ask you for an admin password.
But it would ask you regularly for the Admin password when installing things and so.
Many people say it is better to use a standar account for the day to day use, this way your computer is more secure. I myself prefer using the Admin account always.
To answer your first questions, yes, you can download apps, but it may sometimes ask you for an admin password.
so u can give almost all administrator privileges without making the account administrator and the only thing that requires admin authentication is for installing certain things? im talking about tiger here, and how do u do this (make the standard account have alot of privileges)?
mkrishnan
Moderator emeritus
You don't have to do anything. When you try to install an application with a standard account, one of the following things happens:
1) If it is a file that is dragged and dropped to the Applications folder, you're asked for the user name and password of an admin (authenticate); if you are able to provide it, the software installs for all users. If you are not, it fails. The software can also be installed to the Applications folder inside the home directory without authenticating, but it can only be used by that user themselves.
2) If it is a file that uses an installer, it will either (depending on how it was designed / set up) ask you to authenticate, and then successfully install, or simply fail outright (in which case you actually have to log in as the admin user).
3) In very rare circumstances, installer packages will give you the option of installing it for the user only, which does not require authentication.
All of that is automatic for every standard account.
The difference for an admin account is that (1) requires no authentication; (2) may or may not require authentication (but the admin can use their own user name and password, while the standard cannot), depending on the circumstances.
sushi
Moderator emeritus
mkrishnan
Moderator emeritus
The apps folder in the sidebar is the root applications folder (into which apps normally get installed, and any user can run them).
Any account created by the normal OS X process has some folders automatically inside the home directory (the one with your user name), right? One of those is a second Applications folder. The user has read/write permissions to this folder and can install apps to it.
The idea might be for instance, for an admin to install maintenance utilities just for themselves (and not their managed users), or perhaps for a user to install some app that no one else needed in their own apps folder to reduce clutter....
It doesn't get used much in OS X, though, to be honest. Installers almost never give you this option. But any app that is drag and drop installed can be installed in this fashion.
sushi
Moderator emeritus
Roger that.
This is where you lost me. I do not see an Applications folder inside any of my Users. All I see are these:
- Desktop
- Documents
- Library
- Movies
- Pictures
- Public
- Shared
- Sites
Where is the User's applications folder located? Or does it get created when you install something to the User instead of to the Root Applications folder?
richard.mac
macrumors 603
if you want a user applications folder in your home directory, just create a new folder called "Applications".
a standard account can only write in their own home directory unless they supply an admin password.
an admin account can write everywhere without a password input except other users home directories and the system folder. (unless you change permission in the get info window)
an admin account can write in the system folder with a password input
a root user can write anywhere on the system.
a standard account can only write in their own home directory unless they supply an admin password.
an admin account can write everywhere without a password input except other users home directories and the system folder. (unless you change permission in the get info window)
an admin account can write in the system folder with a password input
a root user can write anywhere on the system.