Description: A Point&Click tool for system administrators to enable KDE's KIOSK features or otherwise preconfigure KDE for groups of users.Last changelog:
0.8: * Fixed problems setting up buttons in panel * Added Desktop Sharing * Added File Associations * Adjusted workflow * Support for renaming profiles / profile directories
0.7: * Fixed problems running kiosktool as root * Added --check option to kiosktool-kdedirs
0.6: * Made it possible to upload profiles to remote server * Fixed some problems with first time use * Better error handling * Now possible to disable file-browsing outside home-directory
0.5: * Added some configuration options for kiosktool itself * Save any pending changes on exit * Fixed reading of settings ("settings don't stick" problem)
0.4.1: * Added user management
0.3: * Fixed grave problem of kiosktool terminating kdeinit/klauncher of the main session. (BR80436)
Hi,
Weird and annoying tickle - when updating a profile, just before 'saving' lets say in dekstop settings, kiosktool stalls while updating the files. If i click cancel and retry, the update goes through. Anybody know how to fix it?
Thanks!
Is that login-as-root bug where all windows gradually jump up out of the visible area called screen still there?
second remark: why version 0.8 while download is already at 1.0
this software is great but updating the version would not be so confusing...
Hi,
I'm very interested in this project, since i have to setup kiosks for our library.
I installed suse and kiosktool, and then... i didn't find any information on what to do next.
Does anybody know where i could find something?
Mmanke, I’m really interested in your documentation. Do you still plan to publish this?
Thanks for any help,
Francois
I use KIOSK to build reduced profiles for more than 700 users. I don't want to tell every user what he is allowed to do. The users have to do their work an they don't want to select beetween many programs and the users are not afraid in using KDE because of the easy screen they see. I'm writing a KIOSK-Tool-Documentation. It'll be ready in February 2005.
I was wondering: kiosktool has the ability to make the shell inaccesible for users.
Does that also apply to applications that offer an internal shell, like konqueor, kate and kile?
Has anybody mastered this tool yet
(esp. on kde3.3-beta1)? I'm totally
unable to create profiles that actually
do anything.
Also, let me say that I think the tool
has a lot of potential and is clearly
very necessary. However, in its
present state (IMHO) it is still very
much in its infancy. I'm extremely
hopeful that it gets the development
attention it needs.
My main critiques are:
- Each component window should have a
Save/Finish/Commit button before
making any changes.
- The "Back" button is incorrectly
implemented. "Back" should be used to
*disregard* changes and return to the
previous stage/state.
- After a profile is configured, it
should never be saved without final
user dialog/confirmation.
Keep up the good work. I, for one,
am seriously interested in this tool's
progress. :)
-Fred
It is unclear for me how this tool will evolved. The interface is simply ugly and it just there to cover the fact that KDE is at some point too much configurable and lack .. coherency.
PS: This said, I love KDE.
PPS: Maybe a description of the design of kiosk will make me change my mind (UML diagrams with Umbrello?).
the point isn't to cover over KDE's configurability, it's to allow for the sort of definitions and control that is required in school, corporate and public-use (e.g. kiosk terminal) scenarios. i think you perhaps misunderstood the point of this tool, and indeed the point of the Kiosk framework as a whole.
that said, the UI could use some work, but it's early days for this (very cool and much needed) tool.
i just hope that Novell (who now owns SUSE, who employs Waldo, who is writing Kiosktool) sees the value in it and creates tie-ins with their eDirectory (previously NDS) identity management tools.
KDE 3.1 misses some essential functionality, so kiosktool itself very much requires KDE 3.2
However, the profiles that you create with KDE 3.2+kiosktool should more or less work as-is on KDE 3.1. No guarantees though.
this is certainly the year of the enterprise desktop. zogje ... you need to find a skilled artist for the graphics though ... :p
Well not me, I suck at graphics.
Doei
Fab
IMO, you just need to make the UI look like a normal KDE application. Frankly, I think the rather childlike graphic is looking very unprofessional, not what you'd expect at all for an application geared towards use in professional environments.
Ratings & Comments
21 Comments
Hi, Weird and annoying tickle - when updating a profile, just before 'saving' lets say in dekstop settings, kiosktool stalls while updating the files. If i click cancel and retry, the update goes through. Anybody know how to fix it? Thanks!
Is that login-as-root bug where all windows gradually jump up out of the visible area called screen still there? second remark: why version 0.8 while download is already at 1.0 this software is great but updating the version would not be so confusing...
Hi, I'm very interested in this project, since i have to setup kiosks for our library. I installed suse and kiosktool, and then... i didn't find any information on what to do next. Does anybody know where i could find something? Mmanke, I’m really interested in your documentation. Do you still plan to publish this? Thanks for any help, Francois
I use KIOSK to build reduced profiles for more than 700 users. I don't want to tell every user what he is allowed to do. The users have to do their work an they don't want to select beetween many programs and the users are not afraid in using KDE because of the easy screen they see. I'm writing a KIOSK-Tool-Documentation. It'll be ready in February 2005.
I was wondering: kiosktool has the ability to make the shell inaccesible for users. Does that also apply to applications that offer an internal shell, like konqueor, kate and kile?
Has anybody mastered this tool yet (esp. on kde3.3-beta1)? I'm totally unable to create profiles that actually do anything. Also, let me say that I think the tool has a lot of potential and is clearly very necessary. However, in its present state (IMHO) it is still very much in its infancy. I'm extremely hopeful that it gets the development attention it needs. My main critiques are: - Each component window should have a Save/Finish/Commit button before making any changes. - The "Back" button is incorrectly implemented. "Back" should be used to *disregard* changes and return to the previous stage/state. - After a profile is configured, it should never be saved without final user dialog/confirmation. Keep up the good work. I, for one, am seriously interested in this tool's progress. :) -Fred
It is unclear for me how this tool will evolved. The interface is simply ugly and it just there to cover the fact that KDE is at some point too much configurable and lack .. coherency. PS: This said, I love KDE. PPS: Maybe a description of the design of kiosk will make me change my mind (UML diagrams with Umbrello?).
the point isn't to cover over KDE's configurability, it's to allow for the sort of definitions and control that is required in school, corporate and public-use (e.g. kiosk terminal) scenarios. i think you perhaps misunderstood the point of this tool, and indeed the point of the Kiosk framework as a whole. that said, the UI could use some work, but it's early days for this (very cool and much needed) tool. i just hope that Novell (who now owns SUSE, who employs Waldo, who is writing Kiosktool) sees the value in it and creates tie-ins with their eDirectory (previously NDS) identity management tools.
no plans on having this kewl app on KDE 3.1 or older versions?
KDE 3.1 misses some essential functionality, so kiosktool itself very much requires KDE 3.2 However, the profiles that you create with KDE 3.2+kiosktool should more or less work as-is on KDE 3.1. No guarantees though.
Simply add this line to your sources.list:
deb http://www.kdehispano.org unstable main We have 0.4 and 0.5 versions and we try to package every new version.
Very useful, thanks a lot!
For SUSE Linux 9.1 a binary package is available. See http://extragear.kde.org/apps/kiosktool.php
It's now available for 9.0 too, see: http://linux01.gwdg.de/apt4rpm/freshrpms.html#suse90
Another package for Debian testing/unstable in ftp://ftp.kde.org/pub/kde/stable/apps/KDE3.x/admin
Why not make it a Kcontrol-center module, so that it will integrate smoothly :)
Definatly!
it hasn't appeared on the ftp site yet, but will do so soon hopefully.
It is available now :-)
this is certainly the year of the enterprise desktop. zogje ... you need to find a skilled artist for the graphics though ... :p Well not me, I suck at graphics. Doei Fab
IMO, you just need to make the UI look like a normal KDE application. Frankly, I think the rather childlike graphic is looking very unprofessional, not what you'd expect at all for an application geared towards use in professional environments.