Why does openSuse allow users to look in other users home directories by default. Is there an easy way to change it
so only the user has access, so when a user is created it
defaults that way rather than having to change permissions
on each home directory.
Well spotted; if you are using KDE, right click on the user’s folder in /home, select Properties and then Permissions and set the permissions the way you want them, remembering to tick the Apply changes to all subfolders button.
You can also set the defaults for new users in Yast - Security and Users.
But before you do so, please read this example:
I use a firebird database that needs the database to be owned by user ‘firebird’, yet I want it in my homedir. Doing what John suggested would have errored out on this database and the folder.
Mind: the ‘Documents’ folder is accessible by the user only.