Re: [K12OSN] Using iBooks as Thin Clients

[Scott Sherrill <scott hancock k12 mi us>]

Title: Re: [K12OSN] Using iBooks as Thin Clients

You can have iBooks running OS X connect to a LTSP server inside of OS X (without dual booting) if you have Xwindows installed.  In versions of OSX prior to 10.3 it was considered beta but it's fully supported in 10.3.  Using Xnest you could have a windowed session inside of OS X and run both OS X apps and apps from your LTSP server.

something like (if Xwindows is already running):

/usr/X11R6/bin/Xnest -query hydra1 :1 -name Hydra1 &

is what you need to call.

My main work machine is a powerbook and I connect regularly to our LTSP servers in this manner (or using vnc)

It's not a thin solution but I think it might get you where you want to go.

Below is an old script I used before Apple started supporting Xwindows (done with XonX back in the day). You are welcome to use it as a starting point.  You could use a similar apple script front end which would mean a student could click on a dock application and connect (instead of a command line run).

set opening_message to "Choose a Thin Server to Connect To"

display dialog opening_message buttons {"10.1.1.230", "Hydra2", "Quit"} default button 1 with icon note
set button_results to the button returned of the result

if (button_results is not equal to "Quit") then
        tell application "Terminal"

                do script with command "/usr/X11R6/bin/x  -quartz -query " & button_results & " &"

        end tell
       

end if

There is some info on using OS X and LTSP on the wiki too.

Scott

> The person heading up our middle school
> effort (the school has been adding a
> grade each year since opening with Pre-K, K and 1st in 1999 and we're
> adding
> sixth and seventh next year) would like to have Apple iBooks for each
> middle
> school student.  The idea is to provide a wireless network that
> that they
> can use them in class and at home (off the network, obviously). 
> I don't
> think anything has been purchased yet and she is one of the three who
> will
> be at the meeting on Friday.  I'm sure she will ask about
> incorporating them
> into whatever system we use.  Is it possible (easy would be great
> but as
> long as it can be done, I'll be happy) to use these machines as thin
> clients
> on a K12LTSP system?  They would need to dual-boot between
> K12LTSP and their
> regular Mac OS, I suppose, or they would be worthless outside the
> school.
> Are there any issues other than speed with using wireless
> connections?
>
> --
> Henry Hartley
>
>
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