[Kde-kiosk] Is there anybody there? :-) [RFC]

[Waldo Bastian]

On Monday 04 March 2002 07:55 pm, Sean McGlynn wrote:
> Thanks. I like the bit about locking down the desktop and kicker by mak=
ing
> the *rc files immutable. That's just what Janyne was asking about. Do I
> understand correctly that making any particular application's rc file
> immutable will prevent changes applied to the app from "sticking"

Yes.

> (providing they use the standard KConfig method of accessing config inf=
o)?

If they don't use KConfig they shouldn't call themselves a KDE applicatio=
n :-)

> I tried Konqueror and this seems to be the case. Or is it only apps tha=
t
> have been amended in some way to take notice of the new KConfig setup?=20

No, the only thing that still needs to happen is that applications become=
=20
aware of it and e.g. remove any "configure" menu's. Because it doesn't ma=
ke=20
sense to show a configure menu-item if the configuration isn't going to s=
tick=20
anyway.

I have done that for kdesktop and kicker so far.

> Are
> there any apps that read from $KDEHOME/share/config files directly thus
> bypassing the immutability set further up in the $KDEDIRS chain?

There might be, but I'm not aware of them.=20

> Also, Janyne wanted to lock down the K menu. Is there a config file I
> missed somewhere that would allow this, or is it a matter of trying to =
lock
> down the $KDEHOME/share/applnk directory in its entirety, by making it
> read-only in some way (ACL's or whatever). What's the plan for implemen=
ting
> immutability of directories; another *rc file or an option group in
> kdeglobals perhaps?

Good point, that is still missing. (Those releases always happen sooner t=
han I=20
expect.) I was thinking about an option group in kdeglobals.=20

> > There should also come some sort of GUI tool to set this stuff up
> > somewhen.
>
> GUI's are good :-) The busy sysadmin doesn't want to play around with
> dozens (hundreds?!) of config files if they can help it.

Yes, the idea is that you should be able to lock down most things in=20
kdeglobals.

> I had a look at enterprise.kde.org but I felt it was more for the "end
> product" rather than the nitty gritty of configuration, with no disresp=
ect
> to Jono. I was thinking more of a dedicated "this is how you do it" sit=
e,
> without anything else to distract. White papers etc. would still be put=
 on
> Jono's site though of course. Put it another way, I think of
> enterprise.kde.org as being for CEO's and other suits, whilst I envisag=
e
> kiosk.kde.org as being more for sysadmins and other lesser mortals :-) =
If
> you still think Jono's site would be best though, I'll contact him.

I don't mind either way, it's just that the section with related websites=
 on=20
www.kde.org starts to become rather large. What about a section "KDE for=20
admins" on www.kde.org?

> > I would love to hear improvement suggestions from projects like these=
=2E
> > (Which reminds me, I still need to add a "No custom wallpaper" switch=
 for
> > the City of Largo :-)
>
> Doesn't locking down kdesktop achieve that?

Yes, but what they wanted was that users could still pick their own wallp=
apers=20
from the list, but they shouldn't be able to download them themselves fro=
m=20
the internet. Something about people getting upset when they notice=20
inappropriate wallpapers on city-owned computers.

Cheers,
Waldo
--=20
Advanced technology only happens when people take a basic idea and add to=
 it.
 -- Bob Bemer