15.1. Introducing User AccountsWindows Vista was designed from the ground up to be a multiple-user operating system. Anyone who uses the computer must log on click (or type) your name and type in a passwordwhen the computer turns on. Upon doing so, you discover the Windows universe just as you left it, including these elements:
Behind the scenes, Windows stores all these files and settings in a single folderyour Personal folder, the one that bears your name. You can open it easily enough; it's at the top right of the Start menu. This feature makes sharing the PC much more convenient , because you don't have to look at everybody else's files (and endure their desktop design schemes). It also adds a layer of security, making it less likely for a marauding 6-year-old to throw away your files. Tip: Even if you don't share your PC with anyone and don't create any other accounts, you might still appreciate this feature because it effectively password-protects the entire computer. Your PC is protected from unauthorized fiddling when you're away from your desk (or if your laptop is stolen). If you create an account for a second person, when she turns on the computer and signs in, she'll find the desktop exactly the way it was as factory-installed by Microsoft: basic Start menu, nature-photo desktop picture, default Web browser home page, and so on. She can make the same kinds of changes to the PC that you've made, but nothing she does will affect your environment the next time you log on. You'll still find the desktop the way you left it: your desktop picture fills the screen, the Web browser lists your bookmarks, and so on. In other words, the multiple-accounts feature has two components : first, a convenience element that hides everyone else's junk; and second, a security element that protects both the PC's system software and other people's work. If you're content simply to use Windows, that's really all you need to know about accounts. If, on the other hand, you have shouldered some of the responsibility for administering Windows machinesif it's your job to add and remove accounts, for exampleread on. Note: The following discussion is intended for ordinary people whose computers are connected to a small home or office network, or no network at all. If you work in a mega-corporation (one with a so-called domain network that's run by a highly paid network geek), things are a little different. Among other things, you aren't responsible for creating and managing accounts. |