Let's take a detailed look at the Accounts options, which can be accessed under System Preferences.
First of all, what do you need user accounts for? You might want to have several:
- One for yourself, of course. This should be for daily use.
- Administrator account. It's a good idea to have a separate Administrator account, so that you have a way to start up the computer without all startup programs and preferences you may eventually have in your everyday user account. Someday you may have some program conflicts, and by logging in with your Admin account, it may make it easier to figure them out. And if you have to, you can delete your primary user account someday and start over. If your everyday login is already the Admin account, I suggest you set up a second user account now, just as a backup plan.
- Accounts for anyone else who uses your computer on a regular basis.
- A Guest account. This is a fabulous option, new to Leopard. It allows you to allow a guest to use your computer, with access to all applications but none of your personal files. They also can't mess up your preferences or desktop settings. Whatever they do or create is deleted when they log off. To enable the guest account, click on Guest Account in the left panel and click "Allow guests to log into this computer."
Even if you are the only one who uses your computer, it's a good idea to password protect each user login, and to disable Automatic Login (more on that later). Why? If your computer is lost or stolen, you don't want to make it easy for someone to access your personal information. Chances are it won't happen, but don't take a chance.
Login Options
At the bottom of the list of users is a link for Login Options. Let's take a look at each option in detail.
Automatic Login: If this is disabled, you will have to type your password each time you log in. As I mentioned above, I recommend that you use this option. If you do want Automatic Login, just select the name you want to login as. When you start up the computer, you will automatically be logged into that account. If you wanted to switch users at that point, you would go to the Apple menu and select "Log out".
Display Login Window As: If you select "List of users", you'll see an icon and name for each user account. To log in, you select one of the user names (with mouse or arrow keys) and type your password. If you select "Name and password", you won't see a list of users, you'll just see empty fields for name and password. This is more secure, but if you are worried about forgetting your login name, or want to make it easier, you might not want to use this option.
Show the Restart, Sleep, and Shut Down buttons: I think it's useful to show these in case you need to put the computer back to sleep or shut down quickly for some reason. They're especially useful for travel, in case you have to turn on your laptop for airport security someday and want to shut down again quickly.
Show input menu in login window: This gives you the option to select what language/keyboard setup you want to use at login. This would be useful only if you sometimes type in different languages or share the computer with someone who does.
Show password hints: Concerned about forgetting your password? Turn this option on.
Use VoiceOver at login window: Helpful for people who are blind.
Enable fast user switching: If you often switch from one user to another, this is useful. But keep in mind that once you have two accounts logged in at once, you may be using extra RAM if you have programs open in each user account.
User Account Options
Click on your account name, and then click on Password at the top of the window, and let's take a look at the options.
Icon: To change your icon, click on it and select "Edit Picture". A small window will pop up where you can take a new photo or choose any photo from your hard drive.
Change Password: Not only can you change your password here, but you can enter a password hint. This is important! Someday you will forget your password and you'll be very happy you left yourself a hint!
.Mac User Name: Enter your .mac account information here, if you have subscribed to this online service.
Address Book Card: Handy link to your own Address Book card.
Allow user to administer this computer: If this is your everyday user account, you might want to turn this on. It will allow you to change any system preferences, install and delete Applications, etc. If you are setting up an account for a guest, you may want to turn it off so they don't mess up your settings.
Enable Parental Controls: Click this box if you want to set parental limits for this user.
OK - so now click on "Login Items" at the top of the window. This is where you can choose what applications, programs or even documents will be opened when you log in. To delete any application, click on it and click the minus sign in the lower left. To add an application, click on the plus sign and select the application from your application folder.
The checkboxes are often misunderstood. Checking an item does not set the program to start up or not, it allows you to have the program start up as hidden. If the program is checked, it will be hidden when you start up the Mac.
If your Mac is starting up too slowly, you might have too many applications listed here. Try removing some or all of them and see if that helps. You can always add them back in one at a time.
In additional to applications, you can also select any document from your hard drive to start up automatically.
Kevin Dern - System Preferences - Login items - Startup items - Leopard - OSX - Apple - Mac
