What type of user/account should I create for MBP on Mavericks?

[ddublu]

It will only be me using my MBP but I want a clean environment for presentations/screen shares/etc. separate from my main admin account. I setup a guest account but am realizing that logging out of that deletes everything I have done. What is best way to do what I am trying to do?

 

[Bruno09]

Hi,

you might create another account in System Preferences / Accounts.

Click the "+" button in the bottom left corner of the window to add a new account.

 

[ddublu]

Hi,

you might create another account in System Preferences / Accounts.

Click the "+" button in the bottom left corner of the window to add a new account.

Yes, aware of that but which type of account is best suited for this? Guest account deletes everything, which I don't want. I just want a clean slate to start with so I can set up a minimal environment for the uses mentioned above.

 

[Bruno09]

When you create a new account as I explained, it is NOT a guest account, it's a new user's account.

You can chose either Admin or Standard (non-admin) status.

I did not suggest to create a guest account.

 

[ddublu]

When you create a new account as I explained, it is NOT a guest account, it's a new user's account.

I did not suggest to create a guest account.

I didn't say you did. Good to go. Thanks.

 

[Bruno09]

I would chose an admin account for the following reasons :

1. you won't have to enter an admin password when installing apps for example, or deleting some files.

2. having two admin accounts can help when something goes wrong in the other account.

Other than that, an Admin or a Standard account behave the same.

 

[ddublu]

I would chose an admin account for the following reasons :

1. you won't have to enter an admin password when installing apps for example, or deleting some files.

2. having two admin accounts can help when something goes wrong in the other account.

Other than that, an Admin or a Standard account behave the same.

Thanks....I created an Admin account....is there a way that I can NOT have iMessage and FT running in this account while I am working on live things with clients? Would signing out of my Apple ID solve that issue?

 

[Bruno09]

iMessages : go to Messages / Preferences / Accounts.

Select the iMessage account on the left

Uncheck the "Enable this account" box.

Facetime : "Facetime" in the menu bar, select "disable Facetime" (Cmd + k) or :

Facetime / Preferences, slide the on/off button.

 

[campyguy]

You've already created an admin account, but I'll chime in. I've got 3 Macs for my use (a Mini and rMBP here, and another rMBP at a field office), and a few dozen in my small company. I use a different set up than most, and I've read about several different types of set ups. My Macs (and those of my company) have one admin account, and multiple standard accounts. I'd recommend a standard account and not an admin account, and I disagree with a previous statement about being able to install apps with (only) an admin's credentials.

My work and personal Macs have one admin account - and it's only used to install apps/drivers/updates and manage users. A standard account is used as work space. On some Macs a second standard account is used for personal/misc tasks - like email and surfing the web, as I'm doing in my "surfing" profile now. On a few Macs one additional profile is used solely for account and financial management. Documents shared across user profiles are put in the Shared folder - that's what it's there for!

I used to use multiple admin accounts, but ran into permissions issues. I've also been reading here on this forum about adware/malware/other issues - I'd wager a small amount they're working in admin accounts; we have had no issues at all over 3 years with my setup.

As to installing apps, user-specific applications can be installed in standard account - that's what the ~/user/Applications folder is for! I have several apps installed in my "surfing" user's Application folder, including several Fluid web apps, a dev version of the Opera browser, and an email application I use only for my junk Gmail accounts.

For what you're doing, there's no reason to create and use a second admin user account. IMO most Mac and Windows users aren't accustomed to setting up their PCs that way - I wasn't but tired of dealing with permissions and malware threats and, on Windows, well I hated dealing with the Registry (still do). I'd also wager a small amount that you'd be hard pressed to read about others with account setups like the one I'm describing and using having problems with their Macs.

FWIW, I also have an Apple TV and an iPad I can use with iTunes Match for streaming music. I also sync some settings via iCloud, and use multiple iCloud accounts to segregate settings across devices. All of this only takes minutes after a little forethought.