Multiple user accounts

OK: Here's my idea.

Currently, the only version of RISC OS to offer multiple user accounts is the RISC OS 4.xx Select/Adjust branch.

But what if an easy, straightforward, logical system could be put together?

The idea is as follows:

On system start, the user is asked for their username (and password? unimportant at the moment). The system then sets a path ie: User$Path to ADFS::4.$.Users.Jymbob. and adds an icon to the iconbar to open User:

Using User: rather than Jymbob: means better abstraction for other apps. For instance, after booting, the system could be set to Filer_Open User: and any global programs with per-user files (eg: Organizer, Cretin, etc.) could be set to load these from User:whatever and would work for all users

This would be in addition to Choices files, which could also be easily redirected to a per-user system

For normal users, the HardDisc4 icon linking to <root$dir> is removed. (possibly unnecessary)

You can then install apps in User:Apps, and add to apps at startup, save documents in User:Work etc.

Global apps could be set to <root$dir>.Apps, and added to the iconbar Apps in the same way.

In other words: any normal user will have access from the iconbar to Username:whatever

Administrative users would also have access to <Root$Dir>

System-wide resources would remain as they are, given that the drive is hidden, not unmounted.

Obviously, this is only a preliminary idea, but it's a start, it uses built-in features of RISC OS, and could be implemented in any modern !Boot structure.

--Page written by Jymbob

See the !Choices application which allows per-user Choices settings.

--- jgharston