fixing support for user collaboration / running apps as separate user

[C. Gatzemeier]

Hello list,

looking for an answer why sharing files between users on the same system
is so hard, I have stumbled accross wiki enties and blog posts about how
(im)possible it is to collaborate for users on ubuntu systems.

The possibility of sharing access to files amoung users is a fundamental
feature in multi user systems. It is generally known as "to work well
under unix/linux". It is important beginning already with a computer
user that want's to run say firefox under a separate user ID (and still
be able to save downloads accessible for the primary user account) or a
family computer, not to speak from any workgroup server.

I'd like to bring to the attention of the ubuntu developers: The *nix
collaboration features are not configured correctly in ubuntu.

I have found the page MultiUserManagement in the ubuntu wiki documents
the issues that prevent smooth user interaction. (Together with
solutions.) In case of one related bug report the maintainer is actually
waiting for a discussion on this list.

Nessessary are only a couple of changes in the shipped configuration
files, but together they make ubuntu a system that allows effortless and
fine grained collaboration amoungst users.

It's about having the private user groups (used in debian/ubuntu) work
properly as designed with group, incomming and private directories.

A developer would need to step forward for this.
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MultiUserManagement

Kind Regards,
Christian