On 18/05/17 16:01, Robert Latest wrote:
> Hello,
>
> we're looking to replace the expensive, virus-ridden, wall mounted "Thin
> Client" Windows computers with something cheap and safe. The tasks are:
>
> - IP address over DHCP
Tick, trivial
> - some terminal windows (to telnet into an ancient mainframe)
Tick, trivial

> - web browser
Tick, trivial
> - no network connections accepted from the outside

Tick, but a little more of a firewall setup challenge

>
> After power up and afterwards, the predefined applications must come up
> automatically.

Tick, trivial

No login should be neccessary,
Tick, trivial

> and no user action should be
> required to open or move any windows around.

? Not sure what you expect to move the windows if the user doesn't.

> Web browser and terminal
> windows should restart and connect to predefined addresses if closed by
> accident.

Mmm. possible but less simple. A watchdog script in a timer?

>
> As this device will be running 24/7 in an industrial production environment,
> worst-case maintenance must be a single power cycle to bring a crashed
> system up again.

Mm. Some judicious use of read-only file systems may be indicated.
OR you might run it all in  a virtual machine so that 'restore from
snapshot' is an option

>
> I'm familiar with running a Debian/dwm desktop system.
>
> Any suggestions on how to go about this?
> **Daniel
>
Id personally go with Mint and probably Mate or XFCE as a staring point,
after deciding what partitions to create and whether or note read only
is the way to mount them

Then start to build up eh parts bit by bit.

I would imagine a startup script could be inserted into teh init.d
system to, after the window manager stars up launch what apps in what
window arrangements are desirable

It been a long time, but I think you can set command line options
somehow top preconfigure where and what size the windows ill be.

It may be, and I am way over my pay grade here, that you dont need a
window manager at all, but could just launch the apps into X-space.
That way there is no window manager to resolve etc etc.

Watchdog uses `ps` to ID what apps are running and restart them if they
crash



> robert
>


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