web browser only os/thin client

[_techie_]

Hi..

 

We run Outlook OWA in school for staff, and our LG has requested that our caretakers have access to email.

 

We would like to provide a very simple interface/computer for them which would require very little maintenance, so I was looking at some sort of simple unix/linux distro which could do this, but allowed some configuration, and just internet access/web-browser only access.

 

I was looking at a kiosk type software and stumbled across LiveKiosk ™

 

however, this had some limitations, which included not being able to alter the homepage.

 

Has anyone any experience of setting up something similar?

 

Thanks,

[Midget]

IIRC you can alter the homepage if you alter the ISO

[CyberNerd]

we use thinstation for this - we built it with firefox2.0.

Students can choose between running a windows desktop citrix session or the browser for VLE/email/web applications. You could easily configure it so that it only runs a browser.

 

Thinstation PXE boots and runs entirely from RAM without the need for HDD.

:: Thinstation - a light, full-featured Linux thin client OS ::

[_techie_]

any more info about using thinstation/quick start guide would be good, as I am a linux n00b.

 

I did spend a little time on the thinstation link, but no definitive guides on how to start with thinstation were there, on how to make it use firefox only.

 

Thanks Cybernerd.

[CyberNerd]

The simplest way to start is probably with TS-O-Matic. basically a website that compiles Thinstation for you.

TBH I don't use it as I build by hand, but you should be able to add the firefox package to it.

IIRC if you build a PXE image you can then use the thinstation.conf.network file (on your tftp server) to specify options (such as a window manager and FF as the default)

 

:: Thinstation - a light, full-featured Linux thin client OS ::

[strawberry]

Hello Cybernerd, This is exactly what I would like to do but am stuggling. Are there any pointers you could provide?.