OT-----XP Pro users

[Nancy S]

I have been using this OS for a short time on my new computer with my new DSL connection. My husband very, very rarely uses the computer so for all intents and purposes, I am the sole user. I have set up a User account for myself and use that, unless I want to do something not allowed a user. For a couple of things I have assigned a Permission for myself, the User. I find myself jumping back and forth between the two accounts quite frequently. Things get quite complicated with setting up shared folders, permissions and rights. I am wondering if most people just use the Administrator account all the time (though the documentation sternly frowns on this).

I would appreciate feedback from all who have a minute. Perhaps I am making my life unneccessarily complicated with this dual 'personality' setup. Thank you in advance.

Nancy

[Nigel C]

Suggest a visit to the local book shop and purchasing a manual on administering XP-Pro before making decisions.

That might allow you to selectively increase your priviledges without compromising security.

I run mine with admin priviledges. But I've a passing knowledge of the security implications. My machine is behind a separate router/firewall box, which makes direct attack from an external source difficult. I have disabled some standard XP-Pro to improve security. I have non-standard email products (avoiding script security holes) and pre-scanning inbound content for viruses & trojans. I have up-to-date security patches.

- Nigel

[Julio Guerra]

I also run the pro version the same as stated above. Since anyone using the machine is "trusted" and no one has such different tasts and needs that the preferences etc are that different there is no need to go through the hassle of setting up users. My wife has her own machine and she sets it up the way she wants.

[DS Nelson]

Nancy,

I'm using XP home, and I just have one administrator account set up. I think XP pro is often used in a corporate LAN environment, where there can be many users. I don't see much need for separate accounts and permissions on a stand-alone home computer where the user(s) are known and trusted.

Dan

[Nancy S]

Thanks to all,

I appreciate your feedback and was hoping to hear exactly as I did, thank you for taking the time to reply.

Nancy

[Philip Lewis]

"Nancy S" <nancyandtom@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:1de9b455.-1@WebX.la2eafNXanI...

> I have been using this OS for a short time on my new computer

with my new DSL connection. My husband very, very rarely uses the
computer so for all intents and purposes, I am the sole user. I
have set up a User account for myself and use that, unless I want
to do something not allowed a user. For a couple of things I have
assigned a Permission for myself, the User. I find myself jumping
back and forth between the two accounts quite frequently. Things
get quite complicated with setting up shared folders, permissions
and rights. I am wondering if most people just use the
Administrator account all the time (though the documentation
sternly frowns on this).

>
> I would appreciate feedback from all who have a minute. Perhaps

I am making my life unneccessarily complicated with this dual
'personality' setup. Thank you in advance.

If (as it sounds) your computer is for home use - I wouldn't
bother with all these accounts at all. These aspects of XP are
really the part of the OS that is concerned with networking. If
you have data\files that you wish to keep private then you could
achieve this by either using password protected zip files or some
other encrypt\decrypt program that will allow protection at file
and\or folder level. That way you are only concerning yourself
with specific personal stuff rather than having to negotiate the
'minefields' of user permissions and shared folders etc.

Phil

>
> Nancy