Ask Slashdot: Ubuntu Lockdown Options?

First time accepted submitter clava writes "We have a desktop Java testing application that is going to be administering tests to students on lab computers running Ubuntu 10.x. These computers are used by the students for other purposes and we're not allowed to create special users or change the OS configuration. When the testing app is launched, we need to restrict users from exiting the app so they can't do things like search the internet for answers or use other applications. Is there a good way to put an Ubuntu machine in kiosk mode or something via our application and have exiting kiosk mode be password protected? Any ideas are appreciated."

Comments

Why?

[Anonymous Coward]

Why not let them use resources? Similar to what they will have available to them in the workforce.

Re:Why?

[bonch]

Because they're supposed to learn and internalize the concepts, not learn how to type search terms into Google or trade answers via IM.

Re:Why?

[pmgarvey]

Firstly the submitter didn't say if this was a programming exam, or what it was. It could be a test on memorising the capitals of African countries.

But more importantly is that allowing access to the internet doesn't just allow things like documentation, and other resources I might have in the workplace, but might allow me to ask my friend to email the entire solution, or even send the question to a guy in India and get the solution back for a fee. It's a comprimise between testing some memorisation and in the cases of some students, testing nothing at all.

Re:Why?

[LurkerXXX]

I guess you want that EMT to show up at your car crash to just google how to patch you up if he didn't pay attention in class. Better hope he doesn't lose signal to his cell phone.

Re:Why?

[Mr. Freeman]

Some of my professors gave open-book exams. This allowed you to look up equations, material properties, etc. If you understood how to do all the work but were unsure of whether the last coefficient in a particular equation was positive or negative, this helped a lot. If you had no idea what you were doing then the book didn't help you at all. Brilliant exam, because in the real world you will have reference materials and you will sometimes forget things like the naiver-stokes equation.

However, the professors wouldn't in a million years consider making these tests open-internet. The internet allows answers to be shared, which doesn't allow for testing of individual students. In addition, the internet has a lot more information than in a textbook. A student may be able to find problems almost identical to those on the exam and simply copy the answer verbatim.

There's also a difference between being able to do your work with the assistance of a reference manual, and only being able to do your job if you have access to the internet.

Chortle!

[MrBandersnatch]

Pull out the Ethernet connection. TADA!

Re:Homework

[elsurexiste]

Hey, asshole. Ever occurred to you that, given clava's high UID, he/she isn't a geek and don't know enough of Linux/technology to do this? Look at how this question was redacted: it's obvious that he/she is not in control of the system, and is looking for some info here, where people with knowledge gather. Just answer the question if you can help and don't be pompous.

Re:Depends how locked-down

[adamdoyle]

If you ask me, you don't really need to prevent users from doing those things. You just need to tell they're not allowed to, and then have your java app detect if those things have occurred and then take action from there. By "take action," I mean that you could either (a) make some kind of notation in the database so that you can penalize them, or (b) send an SMS message or email or something to the test administrator to alert them of the situation so that they can walk over and determine if the student is attempting to cheat.

Re:MOD PARENT UP

[germansausage]

"Why do so many Slashdotters always feel like the best answer to a question is "you're doing it wrong"?"

This happens everywhere on the internets where you ask a question. Ask a Microsoft support website how to do something that "should" be possible, but isn't. (Can't think of an example now) You'll get 10 answers telling you how to "work around" what you asked, and another 20 answers questioning why you or any one else would want to do this thing. What you will never ever get is even 1 person saying "Our product cannot do this thing".

Re:Depends how locked-down

[ktappe]

you could straight up disable the keyboard and rely on the mouse for selecting answers.

Which doesn't help in cases of 1. answers that aren't multiple choice, or 2. having to accommodate people with mobility impairments where limitation to a mouse imposes an undue hardship.

Be fair, the restrictions on the implementation are severe: No OS mods one can kind of understand but you also can't create even a "testtaker" user account? As an OS deployment engineer I appreciate the former but I can't think of any justification for the latter.

Anyway, given these handcuffs, a multiple-choice test will just have to do I think. And believe me, you can make some pretty darn hard multiple-choice exams. Go try to get MS or Apple certified some time. 80 adaptive multiple choice questions that nobody is going to do well at unless they studied hard and/or know their stuff.