is there anyway to for me to allow another user to login same time as me

[Thomas Templin]

On Thursday 30 June 2005 20:06, Mustafa Abbasi wrote:
> i have one computer for the entire family.
> i am continously working either downloading or something else.
> thing which do not recive logginf out well.
> i was wondering if my parents could login without me logging out
> and my procceses stopping.
> you know like in windows xp.
> don't think i am trying to copy windows and bash me please.
> this would essentially solve many probs
> and prevent my parent from destroying the computer by giving them
> less powers.

I you use gdm you will find gdmflexiserver just the tool you are 
looking for.


- Login as user via gdm (this is console 7)

now someone else lets say your little sister want's to use the 
computer

- start gdmflexiserver
  This will start another X-Window session (on console 8)

- You can switch back from your sisters session to your session on
  console 7 by pressing  <Ctrl><Alt><7>

- Your sister can swith to her session on console 8 by pressing
  <Ctrl><Alt><8>

The only problem here is that there are only console 7 to 12 which 
can be used for gdmflexiserver so only 6 sessions over all.

If you allow only one more user to log in this will be the best 
solution I would say.



Every X-Window session and every application will need its own 
memory. At least 512Mb better 1024Mb Ram if you use all 6 sessions.

The need for reccources is quite the same as for a terminal server. 

What on the other hand makes it interesting to think about using 
some old and ancient computers as thin clients. Eg. an old 486, 
64Mb Ram, with an etherboot capable networc card will do it, (no 
harddisk, cdrom, floppy) You will also need extra monitors, 
keyboards, mouses, patch cable and a switch / hub. Plus better 
Hardware for your Computer, more memory and a fast and big 
harddisk.

There are a lot of schools here in Germany who use such old 468 
machines as thin clients in their classrooms. The teachers PC is 
acting as workstation for the teacher and as terminal server for 
all thin clients of the students.

Therefore everyone in your family will get his own computer.
One old 468 pc as thin client and your computer as terminal server + 
workstation is a good point to start and a good testbed.

It is an effordable solution which has a lot of performance.
You will find a lot of documentation at the linux documentation 
project http://www.tldp.org/


A very performant distribution for this is skolelinux 
http://www.skolelinux.org/
And it has a step by step dokumentation.

You only need to answer five questions / choices and you will get a 
full featured Terminalserver installed 'automagically'. Skolelinux 
has been developed to be installed by teachers. Who are known to 
have no knowledge of computers at all. ;-)

The only pitfall, Sskolelinux is not Ubuntu...

Bye,
Thomas

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