Guest session allowed to bypass time limit

[Trevor Schauls]

A user could just pull up a guest session to bypass his/her limit before the time limit is reached. While not being able to save work, they could still hog the computer for hours. I simply added a guest session option to the /etc/security/time.conf file to fix for myself. I am proposing that this should be possible from the timekpr-gui and not having to manually edit the file.

[Savvas Radevic (medigeek)]

You can easily purge gdm-guest-session package and get rid of the guest session.

What happens when people have actual real "guest" usernames? I'm not
saying I saw someone actually use it, but it's arguable.
On the other hand, perhaps we could add a "guest" account in the
usernames above, to appear in timekpr-gui. Then let the user decide
whether it's good or not. Yet still, the problem is that "guest" would
be treated as a different user, so the actual user would have their
time + the time allowed for guest. :)

[Trevor Schauls (trevorschauls)]

Yes, but you can't have duplicate users in linux. Either way, if there is a guest user, then there won't be a user for the gdm-guest-session package and it would show up in the menu. The package is installed by default though, so it would be nice to be able to have it as an option for a kiosk setup or when a friend needs to use the computer "real quick."

[Savvas Radevic (medigeek)]

> The package is installed by
> default though, so it would be nice to be able to have it as an option
> for a kiosk setup or when a friend needs to use the computer "real
> quick."

Your request makes sense, but I have my doubts about giving hidden
limits in configuration that simple or advanced users won't like. I'm
just a bit hasty, don't get me wrong -- I don't disagree that guest
session is not useful.

time.conf with guest also make sense.

But in the other limitation (per session), the limits and the way
timekpr runs would act differently for the actual user and for
"guest". What I mean:
- if you allow the user to run for 30 minutes per session, that
wouldn't affect the "guest".
- if you allow "guest" to run 30 minutes per session, that wouldn't
affect the user.
- the user could probably switch to guest and get another 30 minutes.
so he would get his limit + guest limit.

Also consider what happens when "guest" limit is up? The guest will be
locked for all other guests.

There are too many questions and far too many checks for me to
implement. I will however deeply think about it when the time comes.
:)

[Savvas Radevic (medigeek)]

> I don't disagree that guest
> session is not useful.

er.. double negation.. I mean I agree that guest session is useful. :)