Scenario:

Small 2TB file/media server running debian 9 (finally!).
Typical tasks are DLNA server, samba server, etc.

2 users (myself, and my wife)

In addition to the human element, there are obviously going to be non-human users for things like the DLNA server which will require access to the media library.

Previously set up and running through setting everything in sight to chmod 777, obviously this was far from ideal.

So any suggestions as to how I can structure things in a more thought about way?

Alternatively, anyone got any links to some example scenarios? I've read some of the documentation, but that described the method, rather than the philosophy.

You can create a group for yourself and your wife and give everything you both share group permissions then eliminate user permissions.

Another way to limit permissions is to create a group for a use ('mail' for users of mail, for example), give mail programs group permissions, assign all mail users to that group.

1 members found this post helpful.

cool. So I have now have a group called 'humans' which I can then use for most interaction. I can also set up another group called 'cams' for my webcams to upload captures.

thanks