Guest session / guest account

[Jeremy Bicha]

On 27 April 2011 03:24, Gunnar Hjalmarsson <ubuntu at gunnar.cc> wrote:
> A user account designated for guests and the guest session feature are
> not quite the same thing. The guest session feature is convenient and
> secure, but does have limitations. For instance it does not allow guests
> to log in from the login screen, but can only be launched from a regular
> user session.
>
> I see no reason to not show the page about creating a guest account.
> Previously that page was interlinked with the guest session page, which
> IMO was a nice way to explain both approaches and let the users choose.

Gunnar, thanks for asking. The stubbed Guest page was misleading and
encourages computer owners to use a less secure means of allowing a
guest to use their computer.

"You can create a user account for guests, people who will only use
the computer on a brief, temporary basis. The guest user will be able
to use the programs on your computer, but they won't be able to access
your files, mess with your settings, or install software."

Any Ubuntu user by default can access the home directory of any other
user on the same computer. However, Ubuntu's built-in Guest Session
does not have this access. I admit it's been too long since I've spent
significant time with other distros but I think they may not have a
Guest Session mode but users also can't access other's home
directories.

In fact, the page I stubbed is really not functionally different than
the "Add a new user account" page. I think it's possible to rewrite
this as an advanced page, making these guests members of another group
that could not read other user's home directories. I agree that
Ubuntu's guest session mode has limitations which an alternative
approach could work around.

Jeremy