Re: Locking down the User Interface

["David Sharples" <david_sharples hotmail com>]

It was I who sent the original query. This is my correct email address.

Fair point! I can't argue with the fact that users like to play about with 
the settings to personalise their own desktop as it's no different to how 
people present their own office desk, but there are requirements that 
dictate that machines or even desks for that matter should facilitate a 
certain image.

For example, where machines are being used to assist a member of staff 
serving a customer it may be desirable to have the corporate colour scheme, 
backdrop and screensaver etc. When was the last time you went to book a 
holiday at your local travel agent and found that one assistant had a bright 
pink and green colour scheme with a cartoon character as the backdrop, and 
another machine with a different scheme and so on until finally one machine 
had the desktop that was originally setup with the corporate scheme. 
Therefore, in this case the machines that are "customer facing" could do 
with locking down so that the desktop properties can't be accidentally 
changed.

Whilst people should be allowed to have the freedom to change the desktop 
properties on a per user basis there are times such as the scenario 
described above that would require a lock down facility.

David.

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