I've got some ubuntu PCs running as free Internet and computing access in a volunteer space and they, too, have asked for some automatic session control.
They find that some people will hog the computers, and others who are waiting will be too polite to ask, so the staff have to keep track of it manually. This is one of the major problems they've always had with the computers (prior to Ubuntu, they ran Windows). The other main thing they asked for was just what you suggest Corey - automatically cleaning up the session. It annoys the staff when people leave saved files lying around and downloaded stuff etc. So, integrated session timing and clean-up would be quite nice. Another idea we had was a 'public mode' toggle button for the default ubuntu settings and default app settings. There's a whole bunch of settings spread around the system that have to be changed for an ubuntu account to be setup appropriately for public access. For example, you want the account to login automatically (after a few seconds) rather than requiring a password everytime the machine is rebooted. You want Firefox to not offer to remember password and form info, and to not keep cookies. You don't want the screensaver to lock the screen and require a password. Etc. I think this might be implemented well as an account profile when creating a new account. Currently you can choose between 'administrator' and 'desktop user' profiles, 'public' would be a desktop account profile with the above default settings changed. On 5/30/06, Corey Burger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On 5/30/06, Jordan Erickson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hey all, > > I'd like to know how feasible a 'session time-limit' feature would be > for integration into Edubuntu/Gnome. I did some apt-cache search'ing and > found "timeout" and "timeoutd" - these might work and might be easy to > integrate into, say, the 'Edit Users/Groups' GUI as a simple checkbox > that interfaces with the program (Check here to limit session length, > and enter how long). > > This was actually a direct suggestion from my customer when I was > setting up my first Edubuntu LTSP network a few months ago - they are a > nation wide, non-profit after school program for kids, in a lab type > environment where there are many more kids than computers (and they are > so addicted to Edubuntu the staff has to keep track of who is on and for > how long manually). > > Sincerely, > Jordan <puts on my userful hat> Session timing control is key thing for any public computer. Ideally, it could be integrated with a piece that cleans up the session. Maybe this could be done through pessulus and sabayon? Corey -- edubuntu-devel mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/edubuntu-devel
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