Comment LTSP (Score 2, Informative) 344
after having setup a public library to use linux on the desktop (twice), i'd really encourage you to check out LTSP.
My first go-round with the library, i did what you're looking at (a full blown distro on each machine). it worked very well. i created an install disk that created a nice, locked down desktop, etc. But then we started changing things like printer IPs and proxy server addresses and wanted uniform bookmarks, etc. And changing little things started to be time consuming.
With LTSP you change things in one place, reboot the clients and they're all pointed at the new proxy or whatever. Besides, booting off the network and using ram disks made me feel a lot better when patrons kept just turning the machines off without shutdown now -r. no more fsck, ect.
one more thing. using netscape i was able to edit the preferences.js file to disable all sorts of menus, settings on the web browser. i haven't tried doing the same with mozilla, but you'll probably want to make sure you use a browser with a lockable config file so kids can't change the homepage to playboy.com or whatnot.
jim
My first go-round with the library, i did what you're looking at (a full blown distro on each machine). it worked very well. i created an install disk that created a nice, locked down desktop, etc. But then we started changing things like printer IPs and proxy server addresses and wanted uniform bookmarks, etc. And changing little things started to be time consuming.
With LTSP you change things in one place, reboot the clients and they're all pointed at the new proxy or whatever. Besides, booting off the network and using ram disks made me feel a lot better when patrons kept just turning the machines off without shutdown now -r. no more fsck, ect.
one more thing. using netscape i was able to edit the preferences.js file to disable all sorts of menus, settings on the web browser. i haven't tried doing the same with mozilla, but you'll probably want to make sure you use a browser with a lockable config file so kids can't change the homepage to playboy.com or whatnot.
jim
