Disabling GNOME Desktop Features
This chapter describes how to disable particular features
of the GNOME Desktop.
Introduction to Disabling GNOME Desktop Features
disabling features
introduction
lockdown
disabling features
The GNOME Desktop includes features that you can use
to restrict access to certain functions in the GNOME Desktop. The disable
features are useful in various situations where you want to restrict the actions
that users can perform on a computer. For example, you might want to prevent
command line operations on a computer that is for public use at a trade show.
The disable features are also known as lockdown features.
You set GConf keys to disable features. For
information about how to set GConf keys, see . You can also use the Configuration Editor application to set GConf keys in
a user configuration source. For more information about the Configuration Editor application, see the GConf Editor
Manual.
To Disable Lock Screen and Log Out
disabling features
lock screen
disabling features
log
out
To disable the lock screen and log out functions, set the /apps/panel/global/disable_lock_screen key and the /apps/panel/global/disable_log_out key to true.
When you disable
the lock screen and log out functions, the following items are removed from
the panels:
Lock Screen and Log
Out user menu items from the Main Menu.
Lock and Log Out
menu items from the Add to PanelActions menu. To open this menu, right-click on
a vacant space on a panel, then choose Add to PanelActions.
Lock Screen and Log
Out user menu items from the Actions menu in the Menu Bar applet.
Also, any Lock Screen buttons and Log Out buttons on panels are disabled.
To Disable Command Line Operations
disabling features
command line
To disable operations from a command line, set the /desktop/gnome/lockdown/disable_command_line key to true.
When you disable command line operations, the following
changes occur in the user interface:
The Run Application menu item is
removed from the following menus:
Main Menu
Actions submenu in the Add to
Panel menu
Actions menu in the Menu Bar applet
Any Run buttons on panels are disabled.
To disable command line operations, you must also remove menu items
that start terminal applications. For example, you might want to remove menu
items that contain the following commands from the menus:
GNOME Terminal command, that is /usr/bin/gnome-terminal
/usr/bin/xterm
/usr/bin/setterm
The items are removed from the following menus:
Main Menu
Add to Panel
Launcher from menu
To disable command line operations, you must also disable the Command Line applet. To disable the Command Line applet, add the applet to the /apps/panel/global/disabled_applets key. When you disable the Command Line
applet, the Command Line applet is removed from
the Main Menu and the Add to PanelUtility menu.
To Disable Panel Configuration
disabling features
panel configuration
To disable panel configuration, set the /apps/panel/global/locked_down key to true.
When you disable
panel configuration, the following changes occur in the user interface:
The following items are removed from the panel popup menu,
and from the drawer popup menu:
Add to Panel
Delete This Panel
Properties
New Panel
The launcher popup menu is disabled.
The following items are removed from the applet popup menu:
Remove From Panel
Lock
Move
The Main Menu popup menu is disabled.
The launcher drag feature is disabled, so that users cannot
drag launchers to, or from, panels.
The panel drag feature is disabled, so that users cannot drag
panels to new locations.