Simple Application launcher (very young kids)?

[PiqueABoo]

I could use some kind of app launcher to run at startup that's a bit less fiddly for very young kids e.g. Early Years. Something like this command would do but C: is hidden and un-explorable via GPOs so it won't work:

 

C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe "%userprofile%\start menu\programs\early years"

 

I could point that at somewhere that isn't un-explorable C:, but that would be across the network and I could also put the links on their desktops, but I'd rather not do either of those if there's a little app somewhere that can do the trick. Worst case I'll probably write one, but I suspect it's a teensy bit harder than it seems.

 

Basically all I need is something you can point to a folder with LNKs in that will display them as nice big icons and launch them.

 

Any ideas?

[CyberNerd]

The sugar ui is designed for this. not sure if it works on windows, but perhaps you could run virtually

 

Sugar Labs?learning software for children

[PiqueABoo]

Interesting, you can run that on an otherwise Windows box (Sugar on a Stick - a VirtualBox VM you boot from USB) but it doesn't match the requirements. Edited August 22, 2009 by PiqueABoo

[PiqueABoo]

I surrended this evening and have just half-done my very first WPF app which was interesting. I've sorted out the basic ingredients, that is enumerating start menu folders for *.LNKs, obtaining and displaying the big icons that lauch the apps. Half-done because I'm struggling to think of a plausible GUI layout that would be significantly different from "RM Explorer" and for some reason that pains me.

 

Sooo... is there anyone out there who has seen the aformentioned RM app and thought "That would be much better for these little kids if they'd done X"? If so, what was X?

 

[Probably will anyway, but I promise to give the result away if I get a compelling answer]

[Guest Guest]

I'm struggling to think of a plausible GUI layout that would be significantly different from "RM Explorer" and for some reason that pains me.

 

 

Have a look at Ubuntu Netbook Remixes interface.

 

http://www.ubuntuproductivity.com/journal/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/netbook-remix-home.png

[PiqueABoo]

Ubuntu Netbook Remixes interface.

 

Hmm.. I may well go for that. I'd been contemplating the current MS layout (3 vertical panes) for pretty every management GUI... programs groups obviously go in the left pane, shortcuts in the middle, but I couldn't think what to put in the right pane.

 

Seems obvious with hindsight having looked at that Ubuntu Screenshot now, but yes that's an ideal place for file system shortcuts (drives, folders).

[somabc]

Apple has a feature to do this called simple finder in parental controls or there is always B.O.B

 

http://www.halobattleguide.com/images/blog/tech/MSBobStudy.JPG

[powdarrmonkey]

An intranet web page?

[russdev]

I have not tried it but this acts a replacement shell.

 

kidsmenu

[ba9ag]

Did you ever get anywhere with this?

 

I really need to do the same thing here.

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[FN-GM]

Abit late, but you could always make a simple HTML page with links to apps or websites and set it as the active desktop

[ba9ag]

I thought about that but how easy is it to get the html page to read a list of links and associated icons from a text file for instance (for when you install new apps).

[Rydra]

I used to use something like this for myself when I had just too many icons on the desktop. You can add a java dropdown menu into the page, which can link to folders on the pc or network. If you know what your doing, you can also set hyperlinks that run programs for you as well. In the long term I hope to set this up for my primary school, to replace the useless winsuite we have at the moment.

 

Dreamweaver is very good for this sort of thing i found, though I'm relatively new to Web development, so there's no doubt something that does it a lot better.

[box_l]

we use Xia links

 

XIA Links - CENTREL Solutions

 

unlimited users in one domain is only £100

 

in all our primary schools (64 schools)

 

Regards

 

BoX

[PiqueABoo]

Did you ever get anywhere with this?

 

Yes, but it got bumped down the priority list before I finished. I'll pick it up again sometime, but not for a couple of months.

 

XIA Links looks like a potentially handy product, but the video doesn't show me some key bits e.g. I take it you do this centrally and you can add domain and/or local groups in the Audience bit?

[elsiegee40]

We have a folder in the middle of the pupil deskytop called "Today's Lesson"

 

The teacher can drop a shortcut to whatever they want in there for their lesson - website, program or whatever

 

I put it there on the understanding that the teachers had to maintain it themselves and they were free to clear out someone else's clutter to ensure that folder was empty, bar what was needed at the time of their lesson in the ICT Suite.

 

It has worked very well. Especially with the youngest children who can login, click on "today's lesson" and then click on the shortcut in it and they're away.

[PiqueABoo]

It has worked very well.

 

It sounds like it would, but the bit I don't get is how you trained the teachers to do the set up..

[Chunky]

MS BOB was ok, but Packard Bell put out a similar interface.. I'd love to get hold of that now...

 

Edit:

Found it - a trip down memory lane Packard Bell Navigator 3.5 ...

 

Chunks

Edited January 26, 2010 by Chunky

[box_l]

@piqueaboo

 

that is correct.

 

the developer will supply you with a trial licence if you need.

 

BoX

Edited January 26, 2010 by box_l
spelling!

[ba9ag]

XIA Links looks really good, is it as easy to maintain (ie drop in new links) as it looks?

[box_l]

Put simply, Yes.

 

You can also have multiple paths to an app in case of path failure.

 

Access control on the apps based on AD group membership.

 

Check the demo video XIALinks

 

BoX

[djames]

Hi,

 

Quick FYI the ability to actually drag and drop new applications directly from Windows Explorer into a section of XIA Links has been written and is currently being tested - this should be available in 1-2 weeks.

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

David

[Alis_Klar]

Windows 8 Metro when it come out!! (Semi Serious here) Large icons etc. Just need to disable the social networking elements and weather widgets.

[mac_shinobi]

You could make your own web page that starts up and use vbscript or the likes to launch the apps etc ( not sure how you would do that if C: is not explorable unless you used exec or run with the explorer process ie

 

wshShell.Exec "Explorer.exe notepad.exe"