Linux passwords

[River Valley Computer]

This is for all you Linux pros out there. We have in the past played around with Linux distros. Probably 5 or more years ago. We do not remember having to create a user name and password as the new releases seem to do now. Has something changes - is it the installer? During the install of the distros it asks 'Who are you" We even tried to install and old Zorin OS from 5 or 6 years ago and it does the same.

We have a customer that just wants a OS put on his old Vista Dell just for some game playing for his disabled wife. They have very limited funds so this will be a freebie but they are the sweetest couple.

Thanks in advance.

 

[backwoodsman]

It's been that way since I first started with Linux over 20 years ago. I suppose some distro might avoid asking you to create a user name by just using a default user name, but I've never seen that. Is there some reason it's a problem? After all, a multiuser OS can't work without a user account.

 

[Markverhyden]

Been that way for almost all of them. Though in the really early days, thinking floppy disk set N (for networking) etc, The distro just automatically created the account as root username so it only prompted for password. I can't even remember any distro not prompting for a password creation at some point during the install.

 

[Blues]

It isn't new but I do think many distros for a while had a simplified setup that allowed the process to gloss over user and password setups. I am not as well versed in Linux but have toyed with it a fair bit.

 

[River Valley Computer]

Been that way for almost all of them. Though in the really early days, thinking floppy disk set N (for networking) etc, The distro just automatically created the account as root username so it only prompted for password. I can't even remember any distro not prompting for a password creation at some point during the install.

That's what I'm finding.

 

[nlinecomputers]

It depends entirely on the distribution. Best practices have always required passwords. If you must have no password you can modify the defaults.

Set Strong Password Policy on Ubuntu / Debian Linux | ComputingForGeeks

How can I set a secure or complex password policy on Ubuntu / Debian Linux system?. By default, Linux is not secure and more configurations are required for a

computingforgeeks.com

This shows how to beef up the policy on debian based distributions but obviously this can be used to weaken such a policy as well.

 

[nlinecomputers]

This also may do the trick

Enable Passwordless Login in Ubuntu 18.04 and Higher | UbuntuHandbook

 

[britechguy]

This is one of those situations where, unless there is a VERY good reason that the individual(s) in question could not enter a password, I would never consent to creating any "passwordless login" method.

Even if the password is 3 characters long and is their house number (if that would be accepted) then that's what the password is.

As IT professionals I feel we have an obligation to literally prevent our clients from "doing anything stupid" to the best of our ability. We won't always succeed.

 

[GTP]

just wants a OS put on his old Vista Dell just for some game playing

MX Linux is a fast distro with a small footprint. Great for old systems.
Being Debian based means there are also lots of games available.

 

[frase]

I have Linux on my PS4 Great for Retroarch and such.

 

[River Valley Computer]

It depends entirely on the distribution. Best practices have always required passwords. If you must have no password you can modify the defaults.

Set Strong Password Policy on Ubuntu / Debian Linux | ComputingForGeeks

How can I set a secure or complex password policy on Ubuntu / Debian Linux system?. By default, Linux is not secure and more configurations are required for a

computingforgeeks.com

This shows how to beef up the policy on debian based distributions but obviously this can be used to weaken such a policy as well.

Thanks

 

[River Valley Computer]

This is one of those situations where, unless there is a VERY good reason that the individual(s) in question could not enter a password, I would never consent to creating any "passwordless login" method.

Even if the password is 3 characters long and is their house number (if that would be accepted) then that's what the password is.

As IT professionals I feel we have an obligation to literally prevent our clients from "doing anything stupid" to the best of our ability. We won't always succeed.

This computer will NEVER go on the Internet. They just want it for solitare type games and word processing. NO INTERNET!!!

 

[nlinecomputers]

This computer will NEVER go on the Internet. They just want it for solitare type games and word processing. NO INTERNET!!!

If that’s truly the case then why not just keep it on Vista?