Any thoughts on managing multiple computers in an education setting

Sun Jan 25 00:47:46 UTC 2015

For clearing Google Chrome information, you could set up the launch icon
for Chrome to include a --incognito switch when launching.  This will
launch an incognito session and any information they use during the session
will be lost after they exit Google Chrome.  Just a thought...

Diane Leikvold
Longmont Christian School
IT/Technology Coordinator

On Sat, Jan 24, 2015 at 4:37 PM, Benjamin Bach <benjamin at fairdanmark.dk>
wrote:

>  Hi Eric,
>
> Turning back to your first email...
>
> The only purpose for these machines will be to act as computers with
> internet access (Chrome) and the ability to run selected pieces of software.
>
>
> I don't see that Edubuntu would be the right place to start. Choose the
> point of departure that's closest to your destination in terms of features.
> Stripping off features is often a lot more problematic than adding features
> in my experience.
>
> You might find some inspiration here because the scripts are quite
> "straight to the point" about configuring stuff in Edubuntu... if that's
> really the distribution you want.
>
>
> https://github.com/benjaoming/fair-ubuntu-centre/tree/master/installscripts/postinstall/filesystem
>
> For instance, this can get you a bit of the way in terms of locking down a
> Gnome session..
>
>
> https://github.com/benjaoming/fair-ubuntu-centre/blob/master/installscripts/postinstall/filesystem/student/.reset_gconf.sh
>
> Putting this somewhere in your /etc/rc.local will make a certain user have
> no password....
>
> # Make student the default login
> gpasswd -a student nopasswdlogin
>
> Good luck,
> Ben
>
>
> On 01/24/2015 02:12 PM, Eric Dunbar wrote:
>
> I found an intriguing guide on how to modify the guest session:
>
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CustomizeGuestSession
>
>  It's apparently possible to have a prepared "user" that gets loaded each
> time the guest session is activated. This would allow me to customize
> things like home page in Chrome, desktop background (which could include
> some basic reminders to never save files to the computer), icons for
> various apps, etc.
>
>  Though, the launcher bar for Edubuntu is pretty bad (more like
> absolutely awful) so I'm not sure how I'd overcome that pretty terrible
> limitation :( :(.
>
> On Sat Jan 24 2015 at 4:40:56 PM Eric Dunbar <eric.dunbar at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi, first of all I want to say, "thank you" to everyone who's chimed in.
>> It's been too long since I've been on an Ubuntu-F/LOSS list with all the
>> naturally helpful people that are drawn to the open source world.
>>
>>  *#1 Edubuntu:*
>>
>>  I've been trying Edubuntu and it doesn't quite seem to fit the
>> bill--though, I'm not ready to give up on it yet [used Ubuntu from 4.10
>> through 10.10... just before my eldest son was born :-) ].
>>
>>  The Edubuntu Guest account may solve some of the problems I'm
>> envisioning. It says it'll delete all local files after a logout which
>> likely means it'll delete all Chrome preferences as well (?).
>>
>>  This is a concern of mine since students will log into Chrome using
>> their school account and if they forget to log out (inevitable) it'll then
>> leave their Google Drive and mail vulnerable to vandalism by the next user
>> until Google requires another authentication. And, since there won't be the
>> same level of school-level tracking of users as on official school
>> computers it will be next to impossible to determine who did what. I'd
>> rather head such problems off proactively than act reactively after
>> someone's been hurt.
>>
>>  I also just noticed (when I went to install Chrome) that a Chrome
>> repository is added to the package manager so it'll stay up-to-date. Hmm.
>> Things are looking up for Edubuntu :).
>>
>>  Next step will be to install it onto one of the laptops and then create
>> a diskimage of the install and clone it onto the others.
>>
>>  I'm not too worried about conflicts because these laptops will not
>> exist on a network where they can see each other. These Edubuntu laptops
>> will be automagically sandboxed by the network because these devices have
>> to go through a login process that ONLY gives them internet access and no
>> LAN access.
>>
>>  *#2 Ubermix*
>>
>>  There's Ubermix (based on Ubuntu 14.04) that shows some promise that
>> I'll be experimenting with as well if Edubuntu doesn't quite fit the bill.
>>
>>  #3 Brian on this list mentioned *LXC "privileged" containers*. I'll
>> have to look that up too but I suspect it requires too much on-going
>> maintenance. I really want the machines to be set up once, auto-update and
>> then wipe the cookies/history/files every so often (every login, daily or
>> weekly?).
>>
>>  Maybe this could be combined with Edubuntu guest to allow remote
>> management every so often...?
>>
>>  *#4 Porteus *looks promising. Will have to see whether it fits the
>> bill. Would it run Linux apps?
>>
>>  FYI It does say it has auto update:
>>
>>  From: http://porteus-kiosk.org/
>>
>>  1. DOWNLOAD IT
>> Install the ISO to CD/DVD, USB device, hard drive or any other type of
>> bootable media.
>>
>>  2. CUSTOMIZE IT
>> The first time you boot, a friendly wizard will guide you through the
>> setup process.
>>
>>  3. FORGET IT
>> Our unique automatic update system can take care of important required
>> updates.
>>
>>  Thanks!
>>
>>
>> On Sat Jan 24 2015 at 8:33:38 AM João Silva <joao.silva2k9 at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Eric,
>>>
>>> From the requirements you present seems more like a task for a kiosk
>>> distribution.
>>>
>>> I tried recently the porteus kiosk and I was very impressed with the
>>> level of costumization that it offered. Just not sure about the auto update
>>> feature.
>>>
>>> BR,
>>>
>>> João Silva
>>> Em 24/01/2015 11:47, "Eric Dunbar" <eric.dunbar at gmail.com> escreveu:
>>>
>>>  Thank you for your reply Jesse.
>>>>
>>>>  You've forced me to think more clearly about my criteria:
>>>>
>>>>  #1 Auto-update is a must
>>>> #2 Flash is a must and the ability to play common closed codecs is
>>>> desirable (thus the need for Chrome or a Chromium that can be linked to an
>>>> auto-update of Flash :(
>>>> #3 Automatic clearing of cookies upon exit so students don't remain
>>>> logged in on websites
>>>> #4 Automatic logging out of Google's accounts upon exit.
>>>> #5 Easy reset of default user account to fresh in the (inevitable)
>>>> event of vandalism/pranks
>>>> #6 Perhaps even an auto-reset of the user account since that would
>>>> pre-empt problems)
>>>>
>>>>  The appeal of Linux is that it would allow us to continue using
>>>> binaries on a batch of laptops that are at the end of their service support
>>>> period and have become excrutiatingly slow under Windows 7 (they're 7 years
>>>> old and have only 2 GB of RAM :).
>>>>
>>>>  Chromium OS, in theory, is a good solution but the difficulty is that
>>>> auto-update is a work-in-progress (pretty much non-existent). What I need
>>>> is install once, autoupdate and leave alone.
>>>>
>>>>  Webconverger is intriguing but when I look at the description (and
>>>> complaints) for Webconverger I see concerns over nagware (which would be
>>>> inappropriate in a school setting) and the Webconverger website itself says
>>>> its not possible to customize the "free" vesion. Spending the thousands of
>>>> $$$s required to get Webconverger up-and-running would be pointless--If I
>>>> were to spend actual money on this project I'd simply get ChromeBooks.
>>>>
>>>>  From experience I know that what I'm looking for is possible and
>>>> that, with enough time, I could configure this but I lack that time! I was
>>>> hoping that Linux had evolved to the point where the likes of Edubuntu had
>>>> progressed to this stage of one-stop-shop but I'm not feeling the love yet
>>>> :(.
>>>>
>>>>  The search continues--if only I had the time... this could be fun :).
>>>>
>>>>  PS It does feel good to be booting into a Linux environment again...
>>>> brings back memories... and, I'm a little sad because the overall progress
>>>> has slowed. I don't see a profound difference in usability between my first
>>>> experiences with Ubuntu in 2005 (I cut my teeth on YellowDogLinux... which
>>>> itself wasn't too troublesome) and my brief foray into Edubuntu 14.04. It
>>>> still feels more like a tinkerer's OS, but, I guess that reflects on who
>>>> drives the creation of this software :).
>>>>
>>>>  Take care, Eric.
>>>>
>>>> On 23 January 2015 at 21:35, Jesse Griffin <jag3773 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> You should consider Chrome OS, http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os.
>>>>> You can get pre-built images from http://chromeos.hexxeh.net.
>>>>>
>>>>> Webconverger is another option, a web kiosk based on Firefox.
>>>>>  On Jan 23, 2015 2:02 PM, "Eric Dunbar" <eric.dunbar at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>  Wow. It's been a while since I've been on an Ubuntu mailing list!
>>>>>> (my children are now a few years old :).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  What I'm trying to do is the following...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  Set up 20-40 HP E6400 laptops with Edubuntu/Ubuntu *without* having
>>>>>> users login. It will not be possible to access our network's authentication
>>>>>> servers so there's no point to going through the hassle of setting up users.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  Users will have to authenticate anyway to be able to access the
>>>>>> internet so there's the same accountability as if they were logging in with
>>>>>> a personal electronic device..
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  The only purpose for these machines will be to act as computers
>>>>>> with internet access (Chrome) and the ability to run selected pieces of
>>>>>> software. I do not want (or need) authentication.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  I'd like these machines to be able to auto-update, and, ideally,
>>>>>> I'd also be able to have apps installed and configuration files copied to
>>>>>> these machines automagically, perhaps from a central server but that's not
>>>>>> necessarily crucial.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  I'd also like to be able to reset the default user account to a
>>>>>> fresh account after each login. Alternately, if it's possible to use a
>>>>>> Google account to login to Edubuntu that would be a great solution (our
>>>>>> school now provides students with Google accounts).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  Any thoughts? Anyone aware of a good place to begin (I've searched
>>>>>> the internet but come up empty handed so far ;)?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  Wow. it's been so long since I played with Linux. Children really
>>>>>> chew up my own play time :(.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  Thanks, Eric.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  --
>>>>>> ubuntu-education mailing list
>>>>>> ubuntu-education at lists.ubuntu.com
>>>>>> Modify settings or unsubscribe at:
>>>>>> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-education
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>
>
> --
>
> Benjamin Bach
> Software development, board member, 100% volunteer
>
> FAIR Denmark // www.fairdanmark.dk
> Ensuring digital longevity and development through free, open knowledge and software
> info at fairdenmark.dk
> tel. +45 29900413
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>
>
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>
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