Windows XP for Home Users, Service Pack 2 Edition

Why would you want to set up your computer for multiple users? Why can't each user just sit down at the keyboard and start using the computer without all this logging in business?

Well, you could have multiple users use your computer under a single user name. The problem with this approach is that all your files are accessible to everybody else using your PC which may not be a good thing, depending. In addition, you'll have to live with any changes to the interface made by other users, or take the trouble to reconfigure things back to the way you like them. As you can see, although communal computing is possible, it isn't ideal.

A better situation is one where every user gets to configure Windows to his or her own personal tastes. When each user logs in, Windows displays the settings specific to that user. Plus, each user has his or her own private files, which other users can't access. This type of multiple-user setup is better for both personalization and privacy.

In addition, the chief user of the system (called the computer administrator) can control what the other users can do when they're logged on. For example, you might want to restrict some users (like your kids) from installing their own software on the machine. As the administrator, you have that power.