I just bought the desktop version. When I try to connect to a database, I’m asked for a User ID and Password (which seems like odd for a off-the-shelf software setting). How do I disable it?
You cannot buy the Desktop version (client). What you have to buy is the Server with a number of user licenses. The Desktop version is free.
On the other hand, it's expected that you need a user and password in order to connect to any database. That is a database security requirement, not QlikView.
If you can post an image of what you're having trouble it'll be easier to help.