Root Account
There are basically two types of user accounts on a UNIX computer, the
root or "superuser" account, and a regular user account. The
root account is the system administration account and is set up by the
installation process. It is the only account on the system when it is
first installed. The root login account owns all system files and has
access to all files. It is similar to the Administrator account with
Windows NT/2000 or the Admin account with Novell NetWare.
The root
account is used to create new users, manage file systems, install
software and perform other high-level system administration tasks. Since it is "all powerful," the root account should be used
sparingly. Most UNIX "superusers" have a
regular user account that they use on a daily basis and only login as
root when necessary to perform administrative tasks.
Regular User Accounts
Regular user accounts are created and maintained by the system
administrator when logged on as root. Every user who needs access to
the system must have a user account to login and use the computer.
Regular users can run applications and customize their
working environment. They can also create and modify files in their
home directory.
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