Chapter 34: Sharing a Computer

Overview

Whether your computer is located at home, in an office, or in some other setting, it's not uncommon to share a single computer among two or more users.

There are two ways to share a computer: either let everybody use a single login account, or assign a separate account to each user.

With just one shared account, everybody has access to all the files, and everybody uses the same visual layout. Anybody can turn on the computer and start using it. If there's a password on the shared account, everybody knows what it is; more likely, there won't be any password at all.

With separate accounts, each user can keep separate files and use different choices of desktop background, color schemes, type fonts, and mouse cursors. For example, you can create separate accounts on a home computer for each member of the family. When a young child logs on, the Windows desktop might use a cartoon character as the desktop image, large easy-to-read fonts, and on-screen shortcuts and Start menu programs that are appropriate for the child's age. When an older child uses the same computer, the background is different, and the shortcuts and menu are links to the Web browser, instant messaging program, word processor, and other programs and services that he or she uses regularly. And when Mom and Dad sign in, they each see their own personalized set of screen elements. It's the same computer, but it takes on a different personality for each user.

In an office where two or more users share a single computer, each user can have a separate account. For example, one person might work during the day and another person occupies the same desk on the evening or overnight shift. In another workplace, the computer is not a major part of the worker's daily routine, so a single computer is adequate for several people; the keyboard and monitor might be on a separate table and not on anybody's desk.

This chapter contains information about creating and using more than one user account on a single computer, and descriptions of several kinds of sharing devices.