HowTo: Create a Passwordless / Guest Login (Simple Method)

[timmie]

Hello,
I am really wondering why it is that dificult to have a gues account.

I asked again on Launchpad:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/8897

My requirements are as follows:

• needs no password: I type in the user name "Guest" and get staright to the desktop
• is locked down to only access the home directory of guest. No other drives such as additional fat32 data partitions etc.
• configuration files like firefox and gaim get cleaned after log out.

If I lock down the data access of that account it would not be too difficult to maintain security.

What do you think?
Any ideas?

[aysiu]

I think you're looking for something beyond a passwordless login. You're looking for a kiosk mode:

Lock down the GNOME desktop with Pessulus
Kiosk Admin Tool

[oiler920]

Thank you aysiu soooooo much!

[balance07]

I have a problem with this method:

i can login fine w/ no password to my "guest" account, but can't get BACK into it after switching user to a normal account, then trying to get back to the guest account. can't unlock the guest account screen. any tips?

[nightfrost]

Thanks a lot for this workaround. I've been really trying to find a fix for this problem and I really can't understand why this feature isn't implemented yet. I mean, it can't really be for security reasons since the option would be, well an option and hence it could be turned off. Well, I'm not going into that. Just writing to say thanks.

But I can't help wondering: What makes it work? I'd guess the string is an encrypted version of <ENTER>. But I wouldn't know...

[Frak]

Thanks a lot for this workaround. I've been really trying to find a fix for this problem and I really can't understand why this feature isn't implemented yet. I mean, it can't really be for security reasons since the option would be, well an option and hence it could be turned off. Well, I'm not going into that. Just writing to say thanks.

But I can't help wondering: What makes it work? I'd guess the string is an encrypted version of <ENTER>. But I wouldn't know...

Actually, its an encrypted version of nothing.

[wieman01]

Actually, its an encrypted version of nothing.

Haha... You made my day, Frak.

[Frak]

Haha... You made my day, Frak.

[Niniel]

Btw, I recently got hold of a computer with Fedora 8 on it, and that lets you set a blank password with the click of the mouse. It also uses the Gnome desktop so I was very surprised to find that Ubuntu doesn't have that feature.
Correction, on second thought, I think it just allows you to let a user log in without password, which I think is not quite the same as having no password.

[Duwady]

I have installed a samba server for keeping files and for print server. I do ve to add XP users to allow them to print.

Most xp machines do have "guest" account that is used by casual visitors at home, however, they could not print on the printer attached to ubuntu server.

If I follow this, and add the "guest" account, will anybody logging in on the xp machine as "guest" be able to print on the printer attached to ubuntu server?

thanks in advance.