So I have a macbook pro and I have been the only user. My mom's old computer just crashed and she is wanting to use my computer for the time being. I have a question though about the applications being shared between accounts. I set up a new account and named it visitor and gave it a password. I assumed the new account was going to be appear like a new computer. I was hoping she was going to be able to customize it how she wants. I then looked at the applications folder and all the applications I have downloaded appear on her account as well. I think its weird that my applications are showing up on her account. Is there any way I can make my applications private to just my account(admin)? I just want the basic apps that it comes with showing up on her account, not all the games and skype and stuff. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
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Multiple Accounts and Applications
- Thread starter JR12
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Why are you worried about this? Are you concerned that it creates a confusing situation for her because it shows too many apps? As far as shared apps is concerned, she can't mess up your skype settings from her account so going through a lot of effort to "hide" apps from a second user isn't worth it if all you're concerned about is other users messing up your settings in your apps. OTOH, if you want to simplify your mom's user experience, there may be other things you can do such as parental controls. (Ironic isn't it, the child using parental controls on the parent)
OS X works on a division of "system" and "users", as you know.
Anything in /Applications is available to ALL users.
Same as anything in /Library/Fonts is available to ALL users, and so on.
If you want to keep things available only to a specific user, then they have to be inside that user account.
You can create an Applications folder at the top level of your user account, and store your apps there. But you will have to live with the distinction of two separate folders for your apps.
The alternative might be to create a new folder in her account called "Applications", and place aliases of the apps you want her to use, and direct her to that folder instead.