Kiosk Knoppix for public libraries.

**Ghandalfar** · 06-06-2003, 06:58 AM

You would proabobly want to remove some tools like nmap and ettercap to be sure that you're not giving them utilitys to hack around or outside your network.

I was wondering - can it be done so that /home couldn't run binarys.

**adamm** · 06-06-2003, 03:11 PM

Couldn't they just install to /ramdisk or /var.
I guess they would need root to do that.
I think /home not being able to run binaries is a great idea and might solve the problems with someone downloading ettercap, nmap, or john and using on our network.

**reub2000** · 06-06-2003, 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by Ghandalfar

You would proabobly want to remove some tools like nmap and ettercap to be sure that you're not giving them utilitys to hack around or outside your network.

I was wondering - can it be done so that /home couldn't run binarys.

mount -o rw /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1
mkdir /mnt/hda1/knx
mkdir /mnt/hda1/knx/source
mkdir /mnt/hda1/knx/source/KNOPPIX
cp -Rp /KNOPPIX/* /mnt/hda1/knx/source/KNOPPIX
mkdir /mnt/hda1/knx/master/KNOPPIX
cp /mnt/cdrom/KNOPPIX/* /mnt/cdrom/knx/master/KNOPPIX
chroot /mnt.hda1/knx/source/KNOPPIX

apt-get remove nmap
apt-get remove ettercap

Not that hard, to remove those pesky packages you don't want.

**Loper** · 06-08-2003, 03:20 AM

Originally Posted by adamm

...I think it would be great to remaster Knoppix into a kiosk version...

Here's another resource that I ran across. Some of this stuff may be useful:

"Setting up an internet kiosk" http://stlouis-shopper.com/~jtjsoftw...osk-links.html

**paradocs** · 06-08-2003, 05:12 AM

Greetings,

Thanks for the link. KNOPPIX simplifies the kiosk setup.

As for adamm's concern of losing the disks --
with a large case the CD could be hidden inside. Just leave
enough room for it to eject and load! Maybe the floppy
could have a string with a large block of wood attached --
in the method of bathroom keys.

Well if they did manage to get the whole computer out under
their coat they woud be in for a shock to find it did not
even have a hard drive.

Best Wishes,
paradocs

**adamm** · 06-08-2003, 05:18 AM

Thats funny! I'm picturing a floppy disk with a hubcap attached to it

Great link though, i'm going read into it.
Knoppix has great potential as a kiosk though.
I like getting everyone's opinion on this, and there have been some good ones.

Thanks!

**Ghandalfar** · 06-08-2003, 07:19 AM

You don't need to run it off cd. Just use Terminal client and have server hidden somewhere with no public access on it. You'll need network connectivity.

Then find a network card with PXE boot room on it or sth similiar and flash it. That way your computer won't need a cdrom/floppy for running knoppix.

I guess you'll still want to provide it, so users can save their documents to floppy and/or read it from cdrom.

**A. Jorge Garcia** · 06-08-2003, 03:41 PM

Yup, that's why I use the Poor Man's Dual Boot with FastDOSbootfloppy. This bootfloppy leaves a lot of room to store user files.

See these links:
FastDOSbootfloppy
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2273

Poor Man's Dual Boot
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2192

Regards,

**paradocs** · 06-12-2003, 05:15 AM

Greetings team!

We have had some discussion of what to
exclude and lock-out. How about some
things to include?

I have done work in the filed of dyslexia.
Yes, some library patrons can't read! (at least well)
Non Open Source software is very expensive.

An earlier version of KNOPPIX had festival
(a text to speech reader) which has been
dropped. It is a large package so I understand
why -- but should be included in a remastered
kiosk version.

Scanning and OCR is present but need work to
make it simpler.

The old yellow 4 track tape cassette units for the
blind and dyslectic are hanging on. That's because
they are so hard to use and so bad that publishers
of copyright material don't feel threatened. Ogg
sound files made by volunteer readers would be
a nice project -- provided copyright and fair use
laws are respected.

The xmms and sound players on KNOPPIX have one
serious problem. When listening to a 10
hour book and stopping, the player does not resume
where you left off. Winamp has a nice plugin that
worked well. Is there a good way to listen to talking
books for KNOPPIX? I am trying
mpg321 -v /home/knoppix/my_mp3.mp3
but I don't know how to automatically save the
audio frame count when I quit. Any ideas?

Best Wishes
paradocs

**Henk Poley** · 06-13-2003, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by paradocs

The xmms and sound players on KNOPPIX have one
serious problem. When listening to a 10
hour book and stopping, the player does not resume
where you left off.

Huh? Maybe you should hit the pause button? Not to sound smartass, but that button looks like ||.

But, I guess you wanted to hardwire the stop to pause?