jjpotter
July 23rd, 2009, 08:17 PM
Goal: Build a laptop that can be given to clients for temporary use, while they visit our facility. It would be able to connect to our public wireless and would really only need to be able to surf the internet. I would really like to be able to load into RAM everytime, that way once it is turned off/restarted, we are starting with a fresh desktop.
I would really like to be able to load the distro right off the HD into a RAMDISK. I wouldn't want them to be able to mount any drives or get to any terminal windows. Basically, purely a internet machine. (Maybe a calculator, paintprogram, notepad, etc...)
From what I have been looking at, Puppy Linux is pretty much designed for this. My only problem with it is, I feel like it is to bloated and that I would have to do a lof of modifications to it, (Remove all the fat, would rather use FireFox, etc...). If I have to go that root (pun intended) I will, but most of my linux work up to this point has been on Ubuntu and I feel more comfortable working with it. I also like the simple look and feel of the desktop (Puppy linux desktop is a mess!).
I guess some of the road blocks would be, could I get ubuntu slim enough to fit into 512mb - 1gb or RAM? Could it even be loaded into a RAMDISK off a HD and would it be worth the trouble? Could I prevent users from getting to a shell and installing apps and doing ports scans and all that great stuff we love linux for?
The journey begins...
I would really like to be able to load the distro right off the HD into a RAMDISK. I wouldn't want them to be able to mount any drives or get to any terminal windows. Basically, purely a internet machine. (Maybe a calculator, paintprogram, notepad, etc...)
From what I have been looking at, Puppy Linux is pretty much designed for this. My only problem with it is, I feel like it is to bloated and that I would have to do a lof of modifications to it, (Remove all the fat, would rather use FireFox, etc...). If I have to go that root (pun intended) I will, but most of my linux work up to this point has been on Ubuntu and I feel more comfortable working with it. I also like the simple look and feel of the desktop (Puppy linux desktop is a mess!).
I guess some of the road blocks would be, could I get ubuntu slim enough to fit into 512mb - 1gb or RAM? Could it even be loaded into a RAMDISK off a HD and would it be worth the trouble? Could I prevent users from getting to a shell and installing apps and doing ports scans and all that great stuff we love linux for?
The journey begins...