Post
by rene » Sun Jun 24, 2018 8:24 am
Believe I was mostly addressing Snafu in the above; you guys having the same identifying "avatar" made things slightly confusing. Just now read a bit closer and the deal here is...
The files in /etc/skel are not themselves system files; are not in fact even used directly. The contents of /etc/skel is copied to a new user's home directory when creating said new user. This provides for a way to customize default per-user settings and, other than being available for you as the system administrator, is in fact already used in that manner as well by Mint: can't check 19 now, but see e.g. /etc/skel/.mozila for 18.
In any case, as such it is expected that the files in /etc/skel are root-owned; their copies in your home directory should still be user-owned. The suggested simple cp /etc/skel/.bashrc ~/
(as your user, of course) arranges for such. Editing the files in /etc/skel has effect only after creating a new user or a manual such copy; the ones to edit to provide for "immediate" effect are in your home directory ("immediate" between quotes since in the case of for example .bashrc you'd of course need to relaunch bash/your terminal).
The fact that you don't have a ~/.bashrc on 18 makes it likely that you upgraded that system from 17 while keeping your home directory. In 17 there wasn't yet a .bashrc; things were arranged directly through .profile IIRC. So as to adhere to Mint 18 standards, you "should" manually copy it to your home directory...