Re: Restrict user to specific window-manage

[Jon Haugsand <Jon-H.Haugsand@norges-bank.no>]

* David Fokkema
> On Tue, May 27, 2003 at 01:38:36PM +0200, thomas.wallrafen@post.rwth-aachen.de wrote:
>> Hi all!
>> 
>> Is there any possibility to restict a specific user
>> to a predefined windowmanager?
>> I've got several users here and want the guest-user
>> to use just _one_ windowmanager.
>> The problem is that the login process is done via
>> kdm. So might there be a way to restrict kdm this
>> way?
>
> Just curious, sorry...
>
> Why would you want to do that?

I can think of several reasons:

1. Security: I.e. poor man's access control.  Include only the
             applications that the user is allowed to run.  Better
             leave out xterm then...

2. User protection: Avoid the ever too often situation where users get
             burned.  I.e. avoid the possibility where users do the
             typical "Gee, what happens if I choose this funny little
             rm -Rf application?"

3. Manager protection: Avoid the situation where new applications have
             to be make available from all possible window manager
             setups that are defined on every host in the company
             network.  In particular the "me too" situation where one
             funny application discovered in one window manager menu
             is demanded propagated to all others.

4. Resource protection:  Disable badly configured or programmed
             windowmanagers that may consume memory, cpu or user's
             working time.

5. Company policy:  In _our_ company _everybody_ uses the same
             application. Period.

6. Parental concern:  Where the system manager thinks s/he knows best
             what is good or bad for the users.

And so on...

:-)

-- 
 Jon Haugsand, Jon-H.Haugsand@norges-bank.no
 http://www.norges-bank.no