Install apps as admin or regular user?

[nuttyboy78]

Am new to macs (5 days old) and I've read that using a regular account seperate from the admin account is supposedly the right thing to do. I've done all of that but on trawling the net for info, I've found contradicting reports on installing 3rd party apps. Some say that these should be installed from the admin account whereas others insist that it should be done from a regular user account. My questions are:

1. If I do install from the regular account, will these programs be usable only by me and not by other users? In this case will installing as admin install the program for everybody using the iMac?

2. If I install as regular, do I need to change the ownership of all the programs I install to the admin?

In that case, does this sound right? - Me: read
System: read & write
Admin: read & write

Someone please help (if any of that made sense)!!

Thanx.

 

[MisterMe]

Apps that are installed to a regular account are accessible only by that account. Apps that are installed by an administrator can be available to all users. Not all installers allow regular users to install apps.

 

[xUKHCx]

I have the same arrangement regarding user accounts.

When install applications if they require admin passwords I simply enter the correct admin details in the security box. The applications are then installed and available to all users of the computer. So they are being installed from a regular account but with admin privileges.

Some applications (very poorly written ones) will not like being installed from a non admin account. If that is the case i simply login as the admin and install them.

 

[mkrishnan]

Apps that are installed to a regular account are accessible only by that account. Apps that are installed by an administrator can be available to all users. Not all installers allow regular users to install apps.

Just to clarify (I think, or disagree? )...

- If you drag and drop an application to the root applications folder, as a regular user you will be asked to provide an admin account / password, and as an admin it will automatically move the program into the apps folder. In either event, I'm pretty sure any user will be able to use the software, regardless of the fact that the ownership will indicate that it is owned by the installing person (because of the uplevel permissions of the apps folder).

- If you drag and drop an application to the applications folder inside your home folder, only you can use it. You should not need to authenticate to do this. Same if you use an installer that lets you put the app in your apps folder (rare in my experience).

- If you install by installer to the root applications folder, the installer will either refuse to permit you as a standard user (occasionally) or more frequently will require an admin account / password. Again, once the password is given, the installed application should be accessible to any user.

At least, I'm fairly certain this is what I experience in 99% of the cases. I try to remember to switch to my admin account to do upgrades, but I do them from my standard account with my admin account / pw not infrequently.