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Written by Auzy the 8 Jun 08 at 13:46.
Category: Others.
Related to:
Nothing/Others.
Status: New
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Description
I'd like to see a way to make kiosk users on ubuntu (ones with only access to one application fullscreen, which has the close/min/etc buttons removed. One way of doing it would be to allow a user to be set to run a specific program instead of a Desktop environment (like firefox3 in kiosk mode, which would open the touchscreen page by default).
Proper support would also offer additional protection for kiosks. I have noticed a few crashed touchscreens here that are proudly letting users mess around in explorer.
If firefox crashes in this mode, it would go straight to KDM/GDM, so users would need a password to screw around with anything else. Better then sending them to nautilus and letting them discover the infinite uses of the trash can ;)
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Comments
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jhoger wrote on the 10 Jun 08 at 03:34
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Kind of a special case. 99% of users don't want to be in a kiosk mode. Are you suggesting an Ubuntu variant ala Kubuntu/Edubuntu, etc. ?
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KristoferOlafsson wrote on the 11 Jun 08 at 18:23
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I think I see what you mean, And I could use this too, in many situations. I think it's much more then people realize. This would also be great for setting up public access systems. I've always wanted to set a few of those up.
I went the library the other day I counted 25 kiosk running windows with IE 6, and a few with IE 5. which was funny since they were fairly new PCs. Basicaly they only had so many licences for those prebuilt Winodws kiosks. So when they got new computers, and used the same old prebuilts. and the company they got them from doesn't update them for free, when updates come out.
At the company I work for now we have Kiosk computers that run Windows XP. Those systems are set up for either a single program, IE in full screen or only a few like IE, MS Office and and Adobe reader. Nothing else will run, it's fully locked down. there are even settings on some to control what websites are allowed.
These windows sesions are setup with a single default printer. Users can use either their domain login, or the defualt "Kiosk" user that is on the machine.
When the computer goes idle the system logs current user off then deletes the user profile cache and temp files. so the next user can log on with out never having access to any cookies or temp files from the previous user.
I think thise would be invaluable for Ubuntu to have. Should have a wizard for setting up a Kiosk user and/or Kiosk user Group.
This wizard would allow the administrator/root of the system to control what program(s)/ printers/ settings/ websites that the kiosk user/group has access too. the admin of the system should also be allow to set programs to be in full screen and no other gui, and other things like that.
Wizard should have a setting that resets/ deletes or clears out any cookies or any data like that saved in firefox.
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Auzy wrote on the 12 Jun 08 at 03:10
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I'm not suggesting a variant jhoger (we both know that we don't need another variant). We just need more basic controls to do basic touchscreen like stuff. Even something like locking it down to a single application for a user would be enough. In fact, a proper parental control system might be powerful enough to do this.
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doobydave wrote on the 12 Jun 08 at 12:15
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+1 for kiosk user / kiosk session
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mike.schoon wrote on the 12 Jun 08 at 15:45
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I would love to see the Ubuntu logo all over local malls with a project like this. Are you suggesting a thin client solution, or support for local installs?
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chrono13 wrote on the 19 Jul 08 at 18:39
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Webconverger uses a Debian live setup and is almost what I need, but not quite.
Sabayon (not to be confused with the distro of the same name) looks to provide a profile manager for Gnome.
See: http://www.gnome.org/projects/sabayon/
Opera has a fantastic Kiosk mode, though I still prefer Firefox with extensions (kiosk extension and a basic pr0n filter extension).
Hotels, truck stops, libraries, banks, and almost any business with a physical presence and a website uses kiosks. Some do not because securing Windows in a kiosk is a challenge. Microsoft's Steady State works, but has a number of problems. We've tried all parental control software and found them all terrible. We still settled for one and purchased several licenses. Procon Latte for Firefox works better than it.
At banks I check for a camera, if none, I proceed to find out how hard it is to bypass some part of their protection (bypass full screen app, bring up task manager, explorer, get into IE settings or WMP security settings, get cmd to run, etc). I have not failed once. People do their banking on these machines (to be fair their home machines are probably worse), but still.
An easy, effective kiosk solution based on Ubuntu would be a big win for Linux and Ubuntu. It is needed.
And not just for Internet kiosks, there are intranet / single site kiosks, no-internet printing kiosks, and a major big application these Windows machines are used for - signage demo and video displays.
Some relevant links showing that people go through great pains and complex setups to get this working, and anything we do to ease this setup for Ubuntu will widen its use in businesses everywhere.
http://kiosk.mozdev.org/
http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/twiki/bin/view/Linux/LinuxKiosk
http://www.linux.com/base/ldp/howto/Kiosk-HOWTO.html#toc1
http://www.dnalounge.com/backstage/src/kiosk/
http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/twiki/bin/view/Linux/LinuxKiosk
(above references the booth scripts)
Relevant Firefox extensions:
Webconverger Kiosk: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6032
R-Kiosk: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1659
ProCon Latte (content filter): https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1803
But what is mostly needed is
1. The ability to lock settings (change permissions on config files) easily, and to unlock them as well.
2. Idle timout causes log out. This deletes all temp files, downloaded files, and performs a Firefox Clear Privite Data. Or even better – restores the profile (see #3).
3. Manage the profile. Back it up, restore it (ideally restored from backup after each timeout to be absolutely sure that the last session is cleared), and apply the profile to another Ubuntu kiosk for multiple kiosk setups and for easy kiosk re-setups.
All of this could be provided via scripts, documentation or both. It would not have to start out with anything fancy (e.g. GUI), or even be a perfect final solution - just anything to start this. I would be willing to contribute a great deal of time and effort into testing and customizing anything someone started.
Ideas?
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verticalgambit wrote on the 18 Aug 08 at 21:44
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I agree that I would like a kiosk feature. I am thinking about opening a restaurant and would like to put a monitor and mouse (no keyboard) on every table. I hope that I can find a program that allows me to only give the customer two options. 1. Music. 2. Video.
I was hoping to stream internet video that has been downloaded and stored on a media server to my customers while they wait for their food, but I need to make sure that they can not exit out of the media player. Being able to lock down or simply only giving striping down the OS to only media would be great.
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