[Martian]

In the forum thread “When installing software is too simple”, one advantage cited for the installer method instead of the drag-and-drop method, is that an automated installer is easier for the beginner.
However, I have just installed the software package shipped with the Canon Pro9000 printer, and it absolutely insisted that I use an Administrator user account. That requirement would certainly trip up a beginner who is running in a “Standard” account.

[dcpics]

If it's your computer you should have Administrator status and should set the computer up that way. When you first get a Mac the set-up Wizard lets you set up your original account as an administrator.

The reason and administrator is required is for control of access. At companies they may not want employees installing software that can hold a virus or worm or be detrimental to the processing of the computer or cause a slowdown in output on the job.

Parents may want to set their kids' accounts up so they can't install some software that the parent does not want them looking at or playing.

[Martian]

dcpics said:

If it's your computer you should have Administrator status and should set the computer up that way. When you first get a Mac the set-up Wizard lets you set up your original account as an administrator.

We hear so much in these forums that it is more secure to run without administrator privileges. So I have been a very good boy and demoted my original account and now normally run without admin privileges.
Typically, when installing software, an authorization box pops up which requires an Administrator’s name and password. Normally, the only difference between doing this within an Administrator account and a Standard account is that the Administrator’s name is automatically filled in when using an Admin account but must be manually entered when running in a Standard account — not much difference.
But in this case — installing the Canon driver and software package — an Admin account is mandatory. Since this Canon package has just been released this month, I wonder if all the new installers will all be like that, or possibly is this a change with the latest OS X update?