Re: [PLUG] Configuring Ubuntu Desktop for public users?
I did some searching online, and you may run into issues with a Guest user on vanilla Mint. If MDM ( the display manager used in Mint), then you can easily replace it with LightDM. I know for a fact LightDM has a Guest feature and it works reasonably well. After that, all you need to do is disable the GRUB bootloader menu to avoid savvy users accessing recovery shells as root. Quick and dirty Kiosk Mode :-) On Mon, Jun 11, 2018 at 1:29 PM, Mike C. wrote: > "Free Geek uses various temp users internally for their workstations. It > has been a while since I worked there, but they also had an OEM user, which > is > temporary for use when building the computers. > > I'm pretty sure that MDM, the display manager in Mint has a Guest mode, you > may want to look into turning that on, since it allows for temporary users. > This will result in any data getting saved by the user to be automatically > wiped when they log off." > > This sounds the most like what I'm hoping to be able to set up. Easy, > quick, simple and low maintenance. I plan to leave them with a snapshot > backup on a usb key that they can use to restore the system quickly & > easily if it gets trashed. > > I'll try this and if it doesn't work well I try ChomiumOS. > ___ > PLUG mailing list > PLUG@pdxlinux.org > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug > ___ PLUG mailing list PLUG@pdxlinux.org http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
Re: [PLUG] Configuring Ubuntu Desktop for public users?
Free Geek uses various temp users internally for their workstations. It has been a while since I worked there, but they also had an OEM user, which is temporary for use when building the computers. I'm pretty sure that MDM, the display manager in Mint has a Guest mode, you may want to look into turning that on, since it allows for temporary users. This will result in any data getting saved by the user to be automatically wiped when they log off. Users in general also cannot write to directories outside /home/$USER, so you don't have to worry about things like /var filling up. I would implement a guest user through the display manager. Usually this just means activating it in the config file. You can then have password protected Admin users that have sudo access. Avoid using Firefox alone to set this, since there are a million ways to bypass the browser, giving the user access to the rest of the filesystem. There are a bunch of Linux kiosk projects, like the LinuxK-12 project that Rich mentioned, but if you want to keep the OS installed by Free Geek, there are a few configuration options that you can toggle for smaller setups. If the organization is only planning 2 public stations, then a diskless solution will be time consuming and expensive. Keep in mind that any diskless thin client solutions will require a server to host the OS. On Mon, Jun 11, 2018 at 9:19 AM, Carl Karsten wrote: > I looked into this for my local library, about 7 years ago. > > I would start with Rich's suggestion because > a) he is much more current than me > b) he is likely to be of help when you need it > > That said, there are lots of projects that do this kind of thing. I > am sure there was one that was meant for libraries. > > One thing I was always concerned with was how well the system would > last over weeks or months of lack of attention.Like, does it need > a sys admin around to apply security updates, or un brick a machine > because /var filled up, etc. > > If you expect to maintain the boxes, great, this isn't an issue. If > you are going to leave them in the hands of someone that can turn it > off and on again... then the requirements are different. > > > > > > > > > > > > On Mon, Jun 11, 2018 at 11:00 AM, Rich Shepard > wrote: > > On Mon, 11 Jun 2018, Mike C. wrote: > > > >> Does anyone have any experience with configuring Ubuntu desktop for a > >> school, library or non-profit for many public users? > > > > > > Mike, > > > > If the linuxK-12 project is still alive it would be a good resource for > > you. At the Riverdale HS the network used diskless workstation clients > and a > > central server. How that was configured could be a guide for you. > > > > Regards, > > > > Rich > > > > ___ > > PLUG mailing list > > PLUG@pdxlinux.org > > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug > > > > -- > Carl K > ___ > PLUG mailing list > PLUG@pdxlinux.org > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug > ___ PLUG mailing list PLUG@pdxlinux.org http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
Re: [PLUG] Configuring Ubuntu Desktop for public users?
I looked into this for my local library, about 7 years ago. I would start with Rich's suggestion because a) he is much more current than me b) he is likely to be of help when you need it That said, there are lots of projects that do this kind of thing. I am sure there was one that was meant for libraries. One thing I was always concerned with was how well the system would last over weeks or months of lack of attention.Like, does it need a sys admin around to apply security updates, or un brick a machine because /var filled up, etc. If you expect to maintain the boxes, great, this isn't an issue. If you are going to leave them in the hands of someone that can turn it off and on again... then the requirements are different. On Mon, Jun 11, 2018 at 11:00 AM, Rich Shepard wrote: > On Mon, 11 Jun 2018, Mike C. wrote: > >> Does anyone have any experience with configuring Ubuntu desktop for a >> school, library or non-profit for many public users? > > > Mike, > > If the linuxK-12 project is still alive it would be a good resource for > you. At the Riverdale HS the network used diskless workstation clients and a > central server. How that was configured could be a guide for you. > > Regards, > > Rich > > ___ > PLUG mailing list > PLUG@pdxlinux.org > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug -- Carl K ___ PLUG mailing list PLUG@pdxlinux.org http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
Re: [PLUG] Configuring Ubuntu Desktop for public users?
On Mon, 11 Jun 2018, Mike C. wrote: Does anyone have any experience with configuring Ubuntu desktop for a school, library or non-profit for many public users? Mike, If the linuxK-12 project is still alive it would be a good resource for you. At the Riverdale HS the network used diskless workstation clients and a central server. How that was configured could be a guide for you. Regards, Rich ___ PLUG mailing list PLUG@pdxlinux.org http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
[PLUG] Configuring Ubuntu Desktop for public users?
Does anyone have any experience with configuring Ubuntu desktop for a school, library or non-profit for many public users? I've very limited experience and knowledge with user administration. Ideally, I'd like to not have to create 100 individual accounts and I'd prefer to create 1 account that has the following parameters: 1. Cannot write to the local disk 2. Cannot read from usb stick 3. Can only write to a usb stick. I think I've Firefox configured to not save any history or data but I haven't tested it yet. I think there's extensions such as Ghosterly to reset/wipe Firefox upon close. The organization received a quote from Cybrarian, which is what the Multnomah County Library, for $8,000. I'm trying to configure 2 Ubuntu Free Geek boxes to work similarly for free. I'm less concerned about session timers and more about not leaving any residual user data behind after they logout. ___ PLUG mailing list PLUG@pdxlinux.org http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
