[708] in athena10
Re: "Other Options" xlogin button
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jonathan Reed)
Fri Dec 5 19:31:48 2008
Message-Id: <4F4C9AEB-25DF-4109-A1FB-917D9D279765@mit.edu>
From: Jonathan Reed <jdreed@MIT.EDU>
To: athena10@mit.edu
In-Reply-To: <alpine.DEB.2.00.0812051734080.9677@vinegar-pot.mit.edu>
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Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 19:28:39 -0500
On Dec 5, 2008, at 5:37 PM, Tim Abbott wrote:
> On Fri, 5 Dec 2008, Jonathon Weiss wrote:
>
>>> c) Create a single button that runs a browser in "kiosk
>>> mode" (defined
>>> however we want), and thus allows people to run the reg applet,
>>> access
>>> the cluster map, access barton, and do all sorts of neat stuff.
>>
>> 3) If it's reasonable secure (or secure enough in combination with
>> the
>> snapshot technology we expect to use) then it is probably the right
>> choice. This will also make random quickstations in the hallways
>> more useful to anyone who happens to be walking by which is
>> probably a feature, but could conceivably add more competition for
>> these machines.
>
> This would also have the side effect of solving the problem of
> prefrosh during CPW needing someone to (e.g.) login them into Athena
> so they can use a web browser to check their email.
It was noted on Zephyr today that this may create some issues about
liability or whatever, since randoms will be able to walk up to any
quickstation and do some anonymous web browsing. The question was
raised whether or not we (read: MIT) care about this, and whether it's
any different than the fact that anyone can walk into the libraries
and use the kiosk machines there (which are intended for Barton but
don't restrict web browsing).
Just throwing it out there.
-Jon
