GUI User Manager Tool for XFCE

n4hpg

The latest GhostBSD is looking much better than even a few months ago. Earlier this year, I'd posted a comment about the need for a GUI user administration tool. This topic still needs addressing.

I'd used MATE user admin on a previous version of Ghost, but it's not supported in the system repository. In a previous thread, one developer replied to me that making this program work in XFCE was a major job.

User administration is a core system function and we must have some type of GUI for normies to use. After all, that's the point of having a GUI in the first place. While most of us can easily go to the command line, that's not an option for potential users who simply use computers for regular tasks.

While many systems have only 1 user, the need still arises when installing some applications and device modules that require different group permissions. I've added some serial devices for ham radio that I could not access until I added my user to the appropriate group. This also held when I added scanners to the system.

I may also wish to create accounts for my wife and children to use the same system.

In reviewing different packages on Linux that would do a good job, the Fedora user manager looks quite good. One thing I like about it is the easy access to the UID when creating a user - this is important when using NFS on a network as the UID/GID control access and not the user/group name. I've used this on my network with Linux and Macs.

I look forward to comments. Please, don't reply telling me I can use the command line. I will hate you if you do.

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vimanuelt

n4hpg

I agree that GhostBSD should eventually have a native GUI for user and group management. Creating users, changing passwords, managing group memberships, and deleting accounts are fundamental administrative tasks that desktop users reasonably expect to perform without opening a terminal.

Ideally, this would be a GhostBSD-native application rather than an adaptation of a tool from another desktop environment or Linux distribution. A native implementation would avoid unnecessary dependencies, integrate better with the rest of the system, and be easier to maintain over the long term.

The use cases you mentioned are all valid. Adding a user to groups such as wheel or operator, creating accounts for family members, or assigning specific UIDs and GIDs for NFS environments are common administrative tasks. A good GUI should make the common operations straightforward while still exposing advanced options for users who need them.

If this is something you'd like to see in GhostBSD, the best first step is to submit a feature request at ghostbsd/issuesissues/new/choose so it can be discussed and prioritized. Eric is certainly capable of implementing an application like this, but I can't speak to his current priorities or development schedule.

If you'd like to help move the feature along more quickly, you can also support my work at sponsors/xcrsz. Sponsorship gives me the flexibility to dedicate time to developing features like this and helps accelerate work that might otherwise have to wait behind other commitments. Here is an alpha version of the app requested, xcrsz/user-station