How to lock terminal on login for user

[Crazedpsyc]

Hello, I recently set up a family computer for a friend, and now his son is "experimenting" with the terminal (randomly entering commands). since he could accidentally do something bad, I am supposed to prevent him from using terminals, but only as hi user. I tried vlock and away, but with vlock it says 'this terminal is not a virtual console', and away can't seem to lock all consoles. please help before he erases his own home directory lol!

[Sef]

Make sure he has no admin privileges. That way sudo will not work.

[Dayofswords]

and remove the terminal link in the menu

[Agent ME]

If the son has his own account (and no admin/sudo privileges), then the most he can possibly mess up is his own account. Let him use it if he wants to.

[OpSecShellshock]

If the son has his own account (and no admin/sudo privileges), then the most he can possibly mess up is his own account. Let him use it if he wants to.

This is good advice. Take away the capacity to do system damage and let him try things. It's the best way to learn, and it's a good skill to have.

[norseman-has-a-laptop]

i say let him mess with it and when he messes up the system have him reinstall and put it back to the way it was lol

ubuntu is that hard to fix its like not even 30 minutes for the actual working os

so yeah let him mess with it we all started some where right

[Crazedpsyc]

Lol thanks guys! But I have my "orders" so I still have to lock the terminal. His parents don't want him to lose a month of schoolwork if he messes up his account, and he doesn't need the menu shortcut, since he knows the command, and can just make a launcher (he would too). Personally, I like that advise, but I got a very simple answer when I asked my friend: "NO". He did say if I could make the terminal just look like it works, but actually not affect the computer, he would accept that. is there a way to just set it up so it shows him the normal prompt but either says 'bash: command not found' or simulates all the normal stuff, but uses only commands put in a certain directory, and then redirects the commands to a safe folder/file

[bodhi.zazen]

I would suggest :

1. Teach him how to back up his files. Learning the utility of backups is one of the first lessons all computer users should learn. Data loss is not a matter of if, but when ...

2. Use a separate /data partition and teach his parents how to back up their data. Learning the utility of backups is one of the first lessons all computer users should learn. Data loss is not a matter of if, but when ...

3. Give him a playground - Use either the guest account or an alternate test account or better his own partition to manage and learn on.

4. Use apparmor to confine him or her.

At the end of the day, if the user has physical access there is not a whole lot you can do other then teach 'em right.

[OpSecShellshock]

To a certain sort of curious user, restriction is a form of enticement. If they are not talented enough to overcome restrictions at the moment, they certainly will become so before long. The best thing you can do in those cases is to limit the potential damage and try to channel the curiosity constructively.

[MooPi]

The beauty of having a system that you are in full control of (linux) is that it's repairable without cost. Your son is learning and that is a beautiful thing as well so let the learning commence. I didn't learn a thing about computers using them I learned by changing!