[geeks] Linux Web Kiosk

[Mark]

On 2 Mar 2008, at 20:13, Joshua Boyd wrote:

> On Mar 2, 2008, at 4:36 AM, Mark wrote:
>
>> I have a small embedded machine that I am developing a web-based  
>> quite in PHP on and I want to use the box itself as a standalone  
>> demo unit. I would like to know if it was possible to have Xorg  
>> start up with a maximized Firefox window with no border or widget  
>> controls on the screen?  I am running Ubuntu Gutsy (PPC) and have  
>> no X desktop installed.
>>
>> I know there's some great X-gurus out there :)
>
>
> You can specify the position and window size as arguments to firefox  
> (-geom I believe is the argument to lookup).  That way you don't  
> need a window manager at all.
>
> As for the rest kioskifying Firefox, you might explore plugins.   
> However, I believe you can hide everything you need to via entries  
> in the user.js file.

It doesn't need to be a totally bulletproof the kiosk as it's just to  
act as a front for the box so I can use the app without a remote  
terminal. The embedded unit has a Radeon 9250 AGP card in and it seems  
a waste not to use it for something :P I don't need to auto-restart  
the browser or anything I just need to be able to do a 'startx' from  
my user login and be presented with a browser.

Do you need to have X running in order for Firefox to load and promote  
to the first X screen? Or if you run Firefox with all the switches  
will it auto-run X? I'm a total dim-wit when it comes to X as all I've  
ever done is hack video card settings and run established DEs like  
KDE, GNOME, Xfce or Windowmaker.

It'd probably be nice to lock the local end down eventually so you are  
presented with a web-based login and config screen on boot, but that's  
a long way down the line (at a place I may never get to ;)).


-- 
Mark Benson

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