are installed applications for all users or only for the account who installed them?

Question

I want to make different user accounts separate in Ubuntu 12.04 for some applications only.

My brother uses some applications I don't want so more specifically,

Can I install application like "Wine" or "Webapps" in my account but have the application not appear in or affect other accounts??

The reason is that if I install Wine it conflicts with the Arabic fonts, causing problems on all accounts. So how can I install Wine in an account and stop it from affecting/conflicting with all accounts.

Solution 1

Programs installed from the Software Center should be installed globally(system wide) and will be available to all users. Each user will have their own file in their account to save there preferences and data except any user logged in as a guest as their data is deleted on logging out.

I would think that most(if not all) programs that need root privileges to install would also be usable by any user.

.sh and .bin files that install without root will only be available by the user that installed it unless the folder that it is installed in is made available to all users via the sharing options via the mouse right click or the command line chmod. This is because progrmas that install without root only install into the home directory of the user that installed them.

To answer the part of your question about Wine, if it is installed via the Software Center or apt-get is will be available to all users. This is true even if you download a current deb file from winehq.org. If yo download the tar file from the sourceforge.net/ page it will (likely) only be installed locally and only available to one user.

Solution 2

Since apt is system-wide, any installations and removals will affect all accounts. Since Wine does conflict with the arabic fonts, I suggest you get the font files and tick them in ~/.fonts.

Also consider using virtual machines. Since each has a separate virtual hard disk, each has its own programs and apt configuration.

Comments

[TrailRider]

Why the downvote? it would be better if a comment was included to explain or to suggest an improvement. While the English is not perfect, the question is readable enough to be understood and the question itself is well thought out.

[TrailRider]

Sorry, I was talking to the person who downvoted your question, I was not sure why and was hoping that they would clarify why they downvoted you or would reverse it. Sorry for the confusion and thank you for the upvote.

[amrro]

what about wine effecting on fonts?

[TrailRider]

@Eng.amr19 sorry forgot the last part of the answer before posting, I was editing my answer when you posted your comment. In short, if installed globally all users will have access to Wine and any fonts installed by Wine, If installed locally it will only work for the user that installed it.

[TrailRider]

@Eng.amr19 ObsessiveSSOℲ posted a recommendation on how to handle the arabic fonts specifically. It is a good answer to the last part of your question. I answered your question a little more broadly as to all apps, so his may be a better answer to the font specific problem than mine..