diff --git a/main.sh b/main.sh
index 4db2f5f..2c8a528 100644
--- a/main.sh
+++ b/main.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bin
 sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/bin
 sudo apt-get update
 
+INSTALL_USER=$(whoami)
+
 #######################
 ##  DEV/PROGRAMMING  ##
 ##  ESSENTIAL TOOLS  ##
@@ -41,13 +43,13 @@ sudo unzip ./utils/DejaVuSansMono.zip /usr/share/fonts/truetype/DejaVuSansMono/
 # zsh (better shell)
 echo "* add zsh and starship, etc. + nerd font" | tee todo.md -a
 sudo apt-get install -y zsh
-sudo chsh $SUDO_USER -s /bin/zsh
+chsh $INSTALL_USER -s /bin/zsh
 cp ./utils/dotzshrc "$HOME/.zshrc"
 
 # starship (shell prompt)
-curl -sS https://starship.rs/install.sh | sudo sh
+echo 'y' | $(curl -sS https://starship.rs/install.sh | sudo sh)
 # echo 'eval "$(starship init zsh)"' | tee "$HOME/.zshrc" -a # should already be in zshrc
-sudo -u $SUDO_USER mkdir -p "$HOME/.config"
+mkdir -p "$HOME/.config"
 cp ./utils/starship.toml "$HOME/.config/starship.toml"
 
 # Neovim 
@@ -77,14 +79,14 @@ echo "## workflow helpers, small tools, and utilities" | tee todo.md -a
 
 # pbcopy/pbpaste (from macOS)
 sudo apt-get install -y xclip
-printf '#!/bin/bash \nxclip -selection clipboard' | sudo -u $SUDO_USER tee /usr/local/bin/pbcopy
+printf '#!/bin/bash \nxclip -selection clipboard' | sudo -u $INSTALL_USER tee /usr/local/bin/pbcopy
 chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/pbcopy
-printf '#!/bin/bash \nxclip -selection clipboard -o' | sudo -u $SUDO_USER tee /usr/local/bin/pbpaste
+printf '#!/bin/bash \nxclip -selection clipboard -o' | sudo -u $INSTALL_USER tee /usr/local/bin/pbpaste
 chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/pbpaste
 
 # WordNet & def utility
 sudo apt-get install -y wordnet
-printf '#!/bin/bash \nwn $1 -over' | sudo -u $SUDO_USER tee /usr/local/bin/def
+printf '#!/bin/bash \nwn $1 -over' | sudo -u $INSTALL_USER tee /usr/local/bin/def
 chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/def
 
 # Artha (WordNet dictionary)
@@ -95,12 +97,12 @@ sudo apt-get install -y qpdf
 
 # rndrmarkdown markdown renderer
 sudo apt-get install -y pandoc
-sudo -u $SUDO_USER cp ./utils/rndrmarkdown /usr/local/bin/rndrmarkdown
-sudo -u $SUDO_USER chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/rndrmarkdown
+sudo -u $INSTALL_USER cp ./utils/rndrmarkdown /usr/local/bin/rndrmarkdown
+sudo -u $INSTALL_USER chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/rndrmarkdown
 echo 'alias rmd="rndrmarkdown"' | tee ~/.bashrc -a
 
 # readline (for piping 1 line into wc)
-printf '#!/bin/bash \necho "$(head -n $1 $2 | tail -n 1)"' | sudo -u $SUDO_USER tee /usr/local/bin/rline
+printf '#!/bin/bash \necho "$(head -n $1 $2 | tail -n 1)"' | sudo -u $INSTALL_USER tee /usr/local/bin/rline
 chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/rline
 echo "* verify rline formatted correctly"