Q:

MacOS 10.13.4 Cannot turn off lock screen in system preferences

I guess since up 'upgraded' to 10.13.4 I get a login screen if I leave my MacBook air alone for the briefest time. This is a real pain in the neck.
In system preferences the this statement is checked:
"Require password [immediately] after sleep or screen saver begins." 
I can't uncheck this box, and I can't change the [immediately] to anything else. If I could change it to 8 hrs I wouldn't be so unhappy, but as it is it is intolerable. Makes me want to go back to Linux. 
I live alone and I have never taken my MacBook to any place public. I guess Apple in their wisdom thinks that if I go to the kitchen to freshen my coffee someone will bust down the door and steel all my secrets. 
I would be glad to downgrade my OS if I could figure out how, and if that would actually make a difference. 
I hope someone has a solution for this, I'm at wits end.

A:

Well, this isn't exactly an answer to the original question, but it is a workaround. I set up a new admin user with a slightly modified version of my real name (still real, but included an initial I didn't include before). New 'short name', 3 initials instead of two. I miss my old user short name. I've been jr ever since PDP11 and ATT Unix PC days. Oh well. Anyhow, the new jrv account works like it should, but the other one still doesn't work. 
In a way, it wouldn't be bad to abandon the not completely functional account, since it has a lot of detritus accumulated over the years. On the other hand, it is taking quite some time to get my dropbox folder installed on the new account. I wonder how hard it will be to get my Xcode going with my developer credentials (new to this). 

