UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Must I be in a group? I am using Ubuntu and am the only user on my PC. I know how to change groups but do not see a way to not be in a group. Any help would be appreciated.

Yes, every user on linux has to belong to a group. Group is a larger unit than users, obviously; by default when a user is added to the system, a group with the same name is created. This is called a primary group, and user cannot be placed outside of it (although you can change the primary group of the user).

If you don't restrict "user rights", being in a group or not is not something really important. Let's assume that you have a file and you are using that file with your friends but you don't want your family to use that file. So you can make at least two groups and forbid the "family" group to read or to write or to execute that file.