Information Technology

Jack Wallen/ZDNETWhen I need to work with Linux user accounts, I tend to default to the command line. Sure, there are GUIs for this purpose but I find the command line to be more efficient and effective at the task. On top of that, I am often managing Linux users on remote servers, so the command line is my best option.But what commands are the best to learn for user management? Here are my top five. 1. adduserThere are actually two different commands for adding users: useradd and adduser. I find the adduser command is the best way to go — it doesn’t require extra options to create the user’s home directory, and it prompts you to create a password for the user (so you don’t have to work with yet another command for that purpose). When you issue adduser, you must use sudo and add the username, like this:sudo adduser USERNAMEHere, USERNAME is the name of the user to be added. You’ll be prompted to type the user’s full name and a few other bits of information (some of which can be left blank). Finally, you’ll type/verify a password for the user.2. usermodThis command lets you modify a user account, whether you need to add a user to groups, change a user’s login directory, expire an account, lock a user out, and more. This command is crucial for anyone who has to administer a Linux machine with multiple users. To add a user to a group, you would issue: sudo usermod -aG GROUP USERIn this example, GROUP is the name of the group and USER is the name of the user to be added to the group. The aG options are for append and group. Also: Want to save your old computer? Try these 5 Linux distributionsYou can lock a user out of their account with:sudo usermod -L USERHere, USER is the username to be locked out.To unlock the user, the command is:sudo usermod -U USER3. passwdWhen you have to change a user password (or a user needs to change their password), the passwd command is all you need. The command is used like this:sudo passwd USERUSER is the name of the user whose password needs to be changed. Users can use this command to change their own password, but they must have sudo privileges to do so. You can also use the passwd command to expire a user’s password, which forces them to change it. To do that, issue the command:sudo passwd -e USERHere, USER is the username whose password needs to be expired.Also: Thinking about switching to Linux? 10 things you need to know4. userdelWhen someone is no longer working for the company (or no longer in the house), you may need to delete users. You don’t want to leave those accounts hanging around, lest someone abuse them. For that, the userdel command is ready to help. If you run the command without any options, it’ll disable the account but leave the user’s home directory intact. This is handy in case you need access to that user’s files. To delete a user (and retain their home directory), the command is:sudo userdel USERWhere USER is the user in question.Also: How to connect Linux and Android – and why you shouldTo also delete the user’s home directory, issue the command:sudo userdel -r USERUSER is the user to be deleted.5. lsloginsIf you need to view detailed information about a user, like their last login time, the IP address of the machine they logged in from, the groups to which they belong, and more, implement the lslogins command, like this:lslogins USERHere, USER is the name of the user. You’ll be presented with more information than you probably need about that user. More

ZDNETThe part of the summer when every major retailer follows Amazon’s More

Kindles are perfect summer vacation companions. That’s because they offer up everything you’d need in a top-notch e-reader. They’re uber-portable (my Kindle fits in my coat pocket); they’re lightweight (far lighter than that hardcover you’re stowing in your carry-on); and you can take them on the plane, to the beach, or in the bathtub, and you won’t have to sweat if they get some splashes of water on them.To sweeten the deal, Amazon, the brand behind Kindle, slashes the prices of those e-readers during and ahead of and during its Prime Day sale, making mid-July a convenient time to snatch one up before that August vacation. Prime Day returns July 16 and 17 this year, when you’ll find steep discounts on everything from TVs to phones, among other gadgets and necessities. The discount-palooza can be intimidating to sort through. Thankfully, we’ve done the heavy lifting by curating the best deals you can shop that our team of experts have either tested ourselves or thoroughly researched. Also: The best Prime Day deals so farBest Kindle deals for Amazon Prime Day 2024Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle, Wi-Fi, fabric cover, 8GB More

Nintendo is notoriously stingy when it comes to offering any sort of coupons, discounts, or sales events — especially when it comes to digital games. However, if you’re willing to do a little research and be very, very patient, it’s possible to snag everything from replacement charging docks and Joy-Cons to storage cases and games. While we’ll have to wait and see if there will be any significant Nintendo discounts during Amazon Prime Day, which runs next Tuesday through Wednesday, Best Buy More

This year has been exciting for new laptops, and it’s not slowing down any time soon. New developments in AI technology are everywhere across Windows and Mac laptops, and big advancements in processors are pushing all new devices to the forefront. Also: The best early Prime Day deals right nowThis is great news for consumers because it means unbeatable deals on a wide range of laptops, from productivity machines for work to gaming laptops to 2-in-1 tablet/laptop convertibles. We’ve already gone hands-on with dozens of laptops this year and are excited to share the best early deals we’ve found in time for Amazon’s Prime Day. The best early laptop deals for Amazon Prime Day 2024Apple MacBook Air (M2) for $849 (save $150) More

Amplify your dev work with this deal on Visual Studio Pro 2022 right now.  StackSocial Having in-house development is a massive advantage for many businesses. And having software on hand to help streamline workflows, amplify productivity, and keep projects on track is a must — especially when you can get it at a discount. Right […] More

Amazon Amazon is going all out for Prime Day 2024, including launching a new Echo speaker that will be 40% off until after the sales event next week. The new Echo Spot<!–> is a smart alarm clock that looks like a mix of an Echo Pop–> and Echo Show<!–>, giving Alexa fans the best of […] More

Artie Beaty/ZDNETAfter more than four decades, Windows Notepad is getting a significant update.First released in 1983 in MS-DOS, the simple text editor predates Windows itself and has been available in every version of the operating system since 1985. The program has remained largely unchanged over the years, but now it’s finally getting spell check and autocorrect features.Microsoft announced the features back in April, initially rolling them out to Windows Insiders. According to Tom’s Hardware, the new Notepad is now available for all Windows 11 users.Also: The best note-taking tablets you can buy: Expert testedThe features work just like in other word processors or text editing apps. Notepad underlines misspelled words in squiggly red, and you can right-click them if you want to see suggestions for the correct spelling. There’s also an autocorrect option that fixes mistakes as you’re typing, you can ignore a flagged misspelling for a whole document, and you can add custom words to the built-in dictionary.For many people, the value of Notepad is that it’s a stripped-down text editor. It opens instantly, works quickly, and is perfect for jotting down notes. Windows 11 has brought several changes to Notepad, including a dark theme, autosave, AI with Copilot, and tabs, but it’s still very basic compared to other options. More