User Account Setup

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User Account Setup

After a UNIX system is booted, you cannot simply start using it as you do a PC. Before you can access the computer system, someone--usually the system administrator--must configure the computer for your use. If you are running UNIX on your PC at home, you will most likely need to do these things for yourself. If you are a UNIX novice trying to set up your home computer system, you can refer to Chapter 15, "UNIX Installation Basics." If you are using a computer system in your place of work, your employer may have a person or persons whose specific job it is to administer all the systems. If this is the case, you will have to coordinate with a staff member to set up your system account. The company may have an application form on which you can request such things as a certain user name, a temporary password, which shell you want to use (see Chapter 13, "Shell Comparison"), what your default group is, what groups you should belong to, and which mail aliases you should be added to. Many of these things will depend on what work you will be doing and whom you will be working with.

No matter who sets up your computer account, you must know two things before you can use the system: your user name and your password. If you don't know what these are, you must stop and find out what has been assigned to you. The user name is a unique name that identifies you to the system. It is often related to your real name, such as your first name, your last name, or a combination of first initial and last name (for example, "frank," "brimmer," or "fbrimmer," respectively). If you get to request a user name, try to choose something that makes others think of you alone, and is not vague or common enough to cause confusion with others. The system administrator will verify that no one else on your system has this name before allowing you to have it. The password that you request or that has been assigned to you is a temporary string that allows you to initially access the computer system. The initial password isn't of any real importance because you should change it to something of your choice the first time you log in to the system (see "Managing Your Password" later in this chapter).

The other items on the account application form are harder for a novice user to determine. Asking a peer who uses the same system for the values his or her account has might be a good place to start. The system administrator may be able to help you figure out what values you should have. But don't worry; these are all easily changed later if you wish.