[K12OSN] M$ access from K12LTSP

[Timothy Smith]

Dave,
I'm not a sys admin by any means, but I was thinking that there might be an
easy solution to your problem...
Why not change the "My Documents" icon on user's the desktop to a script or
link that opens up the user's HOME directory. You could change the icon to
look like the "My Documents" icon and perhaps name it "Your Documents"
(since they don't actually own the machine...:-)).
If any passwords that are needed, then you could go with the script idea and
save the passwords in the registry and simply reference them as global
variables in your script. The latter helping keep security in place while
making the connection seamless.
Not sure if it would help in your circumstance since it seems you were
already on the same track.
Just a little trick I use in M$ based web development.

Good luck,
Tim


> Norbert,
>
> > Thanks for the "testimonial" :-) .
>
> It did come across that way.
>
> >If I may, to address the floppy issue what we have done is mounted &
shared >the Linux home directory in Windows. So when the user saves a file
it's >actually in their linux directory and they can then use mtools to save
the >file locally on the floppy.
> >We've done this for each user mounting the appropriate directory to the
Win >login account.
>
> Which is how I also have it implemented (But didn't say so in the
testimonial :) However, trying to get the concept across that when you save
the file, it is actually being saved in your HOME directory is somewhat
foreign to users that think in term of the "My Documents" folder.  I have
also mapped the Linux /home/user as a mapped drive, but getting the users to
actually change the default location from "My Documents" to use the share is
also a foreign concept.  I held a training session to show exactly the
process you describe, but ... in the words of one teacher: "It isn't
straightforward.  Why should I have to leave the Windows session just to
save a file to floppy."  This simple issue makes Linux look "inferior" to MS
because it is different and requires (from their viewpoint) an extra step.
Users do not want to have to keep track of what system they are connected
to, etc. They just want to take a file and "copy" it somewhere. (It is hard
enough to just get the concept !
> of logging off across, as opposed to just clicking on the X to kill the
window/app/redesktop session/whatever)
>
> OT: The solution I want to implement is a groupware portal solution so
they can use a web browser (from home) to access any files.  Then this whole
floppy/usb/"where is my data" issue may just go away.  Unfortunately, there
a bunch of security concerns that have to be addressed before DOE will let
this happen.
>
> Sincerely,
> Dave Hopkins
> Newark Charter School
> Newark Delaware