Adding or configuring permissions and rights

[dezz]

Hi everyone,  I am a new mac user, (and loving it) and currently an administrator at a small school.  Our network consists of a whole bunch of PCs, and we have just recently purchased and added 8 macs.  My problem is that i dont know how to control what people are and are not aloud to do on the mac, as I can with the PC.  How do i set it up so that the person has to log in, and cannot change system settings, or see them and cannot (this happens all the time and this is the root of my problem) keep reinstalling ths OS whenever they want without contacting me.  Please help me learn how to do this, for if I cant figure this out, I will not be able to purchase anymore macs.

Thanks in advance,
Dez

[pendragon]

Dez, First, a most hearty to TS and the world of Mac. Yeah, there will be some adjustments, but no doubt you will soon catch on. There are several PC converts and closet PC users about (I am not one of them) who can help when the need arises, so be at home and post away with all your questions. That is why we are here. And please, we take great pride in our credo that there are no dumb questions. Really!

But to your issue at hand. One approach is to go to System Preferences/Accounts and then create a new User for each of the 8 Mac users (but do not grant them Administrator privileges). That way, they cannot add or delete programs (applications) without your permission. They must log in with their name and password and unless you change things, they only have access to what you give them.

HTH

Harv

[dezz]

Thanks!!!!!  That was the quickest reply!  

[Gary S]

Dezz,

After you create each user they will all have a Home folder including their own preferences.

I would add that each user will be able to access anything in the Applications folder.

Anything you don't want them to have access to can go into the Administrator's (your) Home folder.

Like Harv said, so long as you do not grant them Administrator privileges you'll be ok as far as the fact that they won't be able to install any System updates etc., without your password.

[kelly]

Dezz. Hello. Welcome to the Forum.

You should make yourself familiar with the Apple Knowledge Base.

http://kbase.info.apple.com/index.jsp

Lots of info there if you can find it.

For example.

Mac OS X: How to Share a Computer With Other Users

http://docs.info.apple.com/article2.html?artnum=42673

Mac OS X: Using Your Home Directory

http://docs.info.apple.com/article2.html?artnum=106167

Mac OS X: How to Prevent Users From Bypassing Login

http://docs.info.apple.com/article2.html?artnum=61298

Also.

http://www.apple.com/find/sitemap.html

And for a big list of mac related sites.

http://www.macobserver.com/macosnews/

And take a look at OS X's Help.

And of course. Here. Good luck.