How do I set up new users with skel

Question

i have on my server a settings i use for all my users. every time i create a new user i have to copy all the settings over and over.

for example:

• .vimrc.
• .profile
• .bashrc
• firefox homepage to our intranet
• evolution settings (server and username) etc...

i saw skel can do it, is there a easy way to setup a user with my settings when i adduser?

thanks

Answer 1

Everything should be located in the /etc/skel folder.

You need to create a link on the desktop for all users:

mkdir -p /etc/skel/Desktop
cd /etc/skel/Desktop/
vi shortcut.desktop
    [Desktop Entry]
    Version=1.0
    Name=ShortCut
    Comment=Visit ShortCut
    GenericName=ShortCut
    Exec=firefox http://intranet.ShortCut.com
    Terminal=false
    X-MultipleArgs=false
    Type=Application
    Icon=firefox
    Categories=Internet
chmod +x shortcut.desktop

That will create a link on the desktop.

Here's few articles that will help you for what you need:

• How do I apply a custom Gnome-shell theme for all users?
• How to ensure that all new users have the same profile settings as the current user?
• http://www.linuxhowtos.org/Tips%20and%20Tricks/using_skel.htm
• http://humanreadable.nfshost.com/sdeg/etc_skel.htm
• http://www.linfo.org/etc_skel.html
• http://www.booser.com/etc-skel-directory.html
• http://www.thegeekstuff.com/2009/06/useradd-adduser-newuser-how-to-create-linux-users/#more-552

Answer 2

I think putting the various things you want to use in /etc/skel is the simplest.

The other option would be to script it.