CHAPTER 30 Managing Users Linux (Web hosting support)
CHAPTER 30 Managing Users Linux was designed from the ground up to be a multiuser system. When it is deployed on huge mainframe computers, it s capable of serving hundreds, if not thousands, of users at the same time, provided there are enough terminal computers for them to log in. In a more domestic setting, such as when Ubuntu is installed on a desktop PC, it usually means that more than one family member can have their very own account on the PC. Any files users create will be private, and users will also get their own desktop environment that is separate from that of the other users. And even if you re the only person using your PC, you can still take advantage of Ubuntu s multiuser capabilities. Consider creating user accounts for various aspects of your life perhaps one for work and one for time spent browsing the Web. Each user account can be tailored to a specific need. In this chapter, you ll learn how to administer multiple user accounts. Understanding User and Group Accounts The concept of users and file ownership was explained in Chapter 14, but let s take a moment to recap and elaborate on some important points. Users and Groups Each person who wishes to use Ubuntu must have a user account. This will define what that user can and cannot do on the system, with specific reference to files. Because Ubuntu is effectively one large file system, with even hardware devices seen as individual files (see Chapter 14), this means that user permissions lie at the heart of controlling the entire system. They can limit which user has access to which hardware and software, and therefore control access to various PC functions. Each user also belongs to a group. Groups have the same style of permissions as individual users. File access can be denied or granted to a user, depending on that person s group membership.