title: Using Conda Environments with a 'read-only' base installation
body: <p>I have installed miniconda-3 via the bash script on a linux system with many users. I set this base installation to read-only for all. Ideally, most users will simply run the following to run their python apps on their system.</p>
  
  <pre class="lang-sh prettyprint-override"><code>eval "$(/path/to/bin/conda shell.bash hook)"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>In the event they need custom packages, they can create a conda clone via</p>
  
  <pre class="lang-sh prettyprint-override"><code>conda create -p /path/to/new/env --clone $CONDA_PREFIX
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>However, in this case user's environments are still using the base conda and its configuration which causes permissions errors if the user runs <code>conda install ...</code> like the following:</p>
  
  <pre><code>NotWritableError: The current user does not have write permissions to a required path.
    path: /path/to/miniconda3/pkgs/cache/9e0f62c3.json
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Is there a way to cause the new environment to use its own <code>pkg_dirs</code> and <code>env_dirs</code> without the user needing to manually change them?</p>