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Remote Desktop Connection to Ubuntu 11.04 - Kiosk Only
Hi,
Forgive my ignorance, as I'm coming from a Windows background.
I have a Ubuntu 11.04 server. I need to do the following:
1. Enable remote access for about 1,500 users. They will be accessing the desktop via a VNC or RDP app on their iPhones, iPads, and Android devices.
2. Allow them (via the mobile devices) to open and manipulate a web browser on the Ubuntu desktop. The Ubuntu browser must have support for the JRE, e.g., Firefox or the browser included with Ubuntu. Ideally they should only be able to browse to a specific web site I authorize and do nothing else with the computer.
3. Should not be able to shut down computer, open any other programs, screw it up for other users, etc.
4. I need to be able to easily add/edit/delete users w/o too much hassle. I.e., set up a login account, assign passwords, etc.
I realize this sounds crazy. However, there's a special web app they need to run that REQUIRES the JRE and this doesn't seem possible to use the JRE on iphone, android, etc. They are using their mobile devices (I can't change this) and need to be able to interact with a specific web site app that requires the JRE.
I'm not very familiar with Linux but have thus far set up Gnome and RDC---and have logged in and gotten this to work with one or two user accounts. However, it's a hassle to configure all the desktop settings, security, etc. for each account I set up in Gnome so I'm thinking there must be an easier way.
Let me know if you need more info.
Thank you in advance,
Chris
Forgive my ignorance, as I'm coming from a Windows background.
I have a Ubuntu 11.04 server. I need to do the following:
1. Enable remote access for about 1,500 users. They will be accessing the desktop via a VNC or RDP app on their iPhones, iPads, and Android devices.
2. Allow them (via the mobile devices) to open and manipulate a web browser on the Ubuntu desktop. The Ubuntu browser must have support for the JRE, e.g., Firefox or the browser included with Ubuntu. Ideally they should only be able to browse to a specific web site I authorize and do nothing else with the computer.
3. Should not be able to shut down computer, open any other programs, screw it up for other users, etc.
4. I need to be able to easily add/edit/delete users w/o too much hassle. I.e., set up a login account, assign passwords, etc.
I realize this sounds crazy. However, there's a special web app they need to run that REQUIRES the JRE and this doesn't seem possible to use the JRE on iphone, android, etc. They are using their mobile devices (I can't change this) and need to be able to interact with a specific web site app that requires the JRE.
I'm not very familiar with Linux but have thus far set up Gnome and RDC---and have logged in and gotten this to work with one or two user accounts. However, it's a hassle to configure all the desktop settings, security, etc. for each account I set up in Gnome so I'm thinking there must be an easier way.
Let me know if you need more info.
Thank you in advance,
Chris
ASKER
Hi Tobias,
Currently, there are no users, as it has not been set up yet. I was originally going to go the windows route but the licenses are too expensive for Terminal Services on a Windows server.
The article about Firefox is helpful in theory but goes on the assumption that there is one assigned user---I'm needed to create 1,500 actual user account, each with their own login but share a same set of access privileges.
There is something in Ubuntu called user groups but I'm not sure if it's possible to set privileges at the group level like you can in Windows. For example, what might work would be to create a group called 'public' and then assign all desktop preferences, layout, security to that specific group. Then, when I sudo to add a new user, I would just assign them to that group and everything else would be taken care of.
Chris
Currently, there are no users, as it has not been set up yet. I was originally going to go the windows route but the licenses are too expensive for Terminal Services on a Windows server.
The article about Firefox is helpful in theory but goes on the assumption that there is one assigned user---I'm needed to create 1,500 actual user account, each with their own login but share a same set of access privileges.
There is something in Ubuntu called user groups but I'm not sure if it's possible to set privileges at the group level like you can in Windows. For example, what might work would be to create a group called 'public' and then assign all desktop preferences, layout, security to that specific group. Then, when I sudo to add a new user, I would just assign them to that group and everything else would be taken care of.
Chris
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ASKER
Thank you Tobias!!! Awesome answer!
Where do you have your users today? In a Microsoft AD? Then you can join the Ubuntu to the AD. Here's an example how to join the AD: http://youtu.be/Y3TFPDT9uic
Example how to disable users to shut down the computer: http://embraceubuntu.com/2006/03/20/disable-shutdown-for-normal-users/
Here's some idéas how to prevent users from running certain apps: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=941659
Regards, Tobias