Re: [seul-edu] App idea: classroom permissions manager

[Doug Loss <dloss@suscom.net>]

malonowa wrote:

> From: Tom Hoffman <tom_hoffman@mac.com>
>
> > I am getting closer to putting together a linux writing lab in my 7th
> grade
> > classroom.
> >
> > One application that I think would be useful is a graphical front end that
> > would allow me to display and change the group memberships for the
> students
> > in an individual class quickly (by clicking a radio button, for example).
> > This would allow me to have, for example, a group of "finished" students,
> > who would have permission to play a game, and a group of "not-in-trouble"
> > students, who might, for example, have theming or other nice privileges.
> >
> > My intuition is that it would be a fairly trivial program to write, but it
> > is beyond my skill at this moment.  Anyone intrigued?
> >
>
> More to the point is if such a system could update configuration files of
> programs for groups of students as well. Imagine for example, a program has
> certain levels of difficulty and the teacher wants to introduce
> features/difficulty levels at the pupils' learning pace.
>

I think we're talking about two related but separate ideas here.  First, moving
students between groups so as to give them access to previously denied
programs.  This can easily be done, probably via K12Admin and (possibly some
added code).  This would make menu items or icons that previously didn't do
anything now function for the student.

Second, reconfiguring the user interface on the user's workstation.  This will
be more difficult.  I'm pretty sure that the config files on most window
managers or desktop environments are only read at startup or when the user
forces it via a "refresh" (I think that's what Windowmaker calls it).  Could we
and would we want to forcibly edit and refresh the config files on the students'
workstations, adding new icons and menu items?  That could be confusing all by
itself.  It's worth talking about.

>
> I expect the design of such a system is much more difficult than the actual
> implementation. I'm no networking expert.

I don't think it would be impossible, but as I mention above I think we would
have to think hard about the best way to accomplish it.

--
Doug Loss                 God is a comedian playing
Data Network Coordinator  to an audience too afraid
Bloomsburg University     to laugh.
dloss@bloomu.edu                Voltaire