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Linux and Public Access Computing?

Posted by Cliff on from the polyglot-kiosk-mode-computers dept.

An Anonymous Coward asks: "The Seattle Community Technology Alliance is a non profit, federally funded, public/private project that supports community technology centers in the Seattle area. We are interested in moving our public workstations from Win 2000 to Linux. In order to do this, we need good multi-lingual options and the abiltiy to create 'guest accounts' that prevent users from changing settings (to provide a consistent environment for users). What are the best tools for multi-user Linux labs? Should we use KDE? Gnome? How do we keep users from changing settings? We are eager to start experimenting, but would appreciate expert advice on starting points!"

3 of 342 comments (clear)

  1. check the howto by SkipFrizzell · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/Kiosk-HOWTO. html

    I would start here.

    -=Skip

  2. check out the DNA lounge source code by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Check out http://www.dnalounge.com/backstage/src/kiosk/ for information about how they set up their Kiosks. It might give you some ideas for starting points, the have similar goals and an extremely "hostile" environment.

  3. There are a flood of resources out there... by ainsoph · · Score: 5, Informative

    The biggest one I can think of is the "linux Terminal Server Project",

    ltsp

    Which has been adapted to public schools in the form of:

    k12ltsp

    The linux in education folks have tons of info on doing stuff like this and are very wise about digital divide issues.

    Here are some links:

    open source schools

    School Forge

    k12os

    SEUL/Edu

    Some case studies:

    seul dat

    There is also Simple End User Linux (SEUL)

    SEUL

    RedHats "Open Source Now" initiative has listings of people in the area who can help out. They also have a bunch of "why's" and "hows" on their site.

    Open Source Now

    I should be listed there in the Army of Friends, but have not gotten around to putting myself up. Feel free to contact me at cschwan4@attbi.com, as I am in the Seattle area.

    Doing this kind of thing is a great interest of mine, and I work in education to help make these transistions.

    Hope this helps.