You do not need to go to that trouble. Just set up the child's account to use KDE normally, but edit the menu structure removing the unwanted programs. If the child is small you could create Desktop icons for the various 'approved' applications.
If the parent is a complete control freak, you could set the entire set of config and rc files stored in ~/.kde read-only so the child cannot change settings. After the child logs out the full functions are available to the other users when they login. Actually, depending on the age of the child, by far the best way is to allow all functions, but make a complete backup of the child's home directory so that a complete restore of the whole thing is possible if they have a complete cockup. They then have a chance to learn from their mistakes and errors which are wonderful teachers. Remember this is a Unix environment so they cannot do any damage to the system or to anybody else's data unless they get hold of the passwords. My son didn't realise what mine were until he was about 9 or 10, by which time he was responsible enough not to do any damage. iirc, I allowed him access to the /usr/local tree fairly early on so he could install packages which would not run without being installed. I imagine you could butcher GNOME similarly. On 2/22/08, Aidan Gauland <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Ok, I definitely need to make myself clearer. > > What I want to create (but I'm just toying around with the idea now), > is a program that a parent can set up to run automatically when their > child logs in, and it will let the user (in this case the child) execute > approved programs (in this case by the parent). So this would be a sort > of child friendly launcher, which hides itself when launching a program, > and makes itself visible again when the child process dies. The purpose > of this program (aside from being fun) is for parents to allow their > young child to use the computer, but without the child having access to > the "Switch User" feature of X, UNLESS the parent uses a key combination > to get out of the program (without necessarily quitting). > > There's a bit more to the program than that, but what I'm asking is > how can I make this launcher (written in C) execute any other program > while restricting the user's input to the foreground program. > > -Aidan > > Zane Gilmore wrote: > > I would have thought that you would want to restrict the user input > > inside the program you are > > calling. > > > > Maybe some method of rewriting the Linux keymap then restoring it on exit. > > But I don't know much about that. > > You would need safeguards to handle crashes etc though. :-) > > > > > > As for limiting the windowing stuff... dunno > > > > Good luck, > > Zane > > > > > > > > Aidan Gauland wrote: > >> Hello, > >> > >> First of all: if there is someone on this list, who knows of a > >> general Linux programmers mailing list, then please tell me about it. > >> > >> Now the question: I know there's some standard C function for > >> executing a program, but I want to, from within my C program, execute > >> a program, but restricting the user's input to that program. That > >> probably isn't very clear, but I'm trying to make a child-safe > >> kiosk-like program, so maybe that will make my question a little clearer. > >> > >> -Aidan > >> > >> _____________________________________________________________________ > >> > >> This has been cleaned & processed by www.rocketspam.co.nz > >> _____________________________________________________________________ > >> > > > > > -- Sincerely etc. Christopher Sawtell
