Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

Pizzasgood

puppy-4.2.1-MULTIUSER-r3.iso - (101 MB)
md5sum - (ff7e5a22b6eecc6db0b5b809278198e4)

MIRROR - courtesy of russoodle

Older Versions:

puppy-4.2.1-MULTIUSER-r2.iso

md5sum

puppy-4.2.1-MULTIUSER-r1.iso

md5sum

puppy-4.2.1-MULTIUSER.iso

md5sum

Service Packs (apply spN to rN-1 to get rN):

puppy-4.2.1-MULTIUSER-sp3.pet

puppy-4.2.1-MULTIUSER-sp2.pet

puppy-4.2.1-MULTIUSER-sp1.pet

Gory Details + HOWTO instructions

This is a multiuser version of Puppy 4.2.1. Initially, it should work just like a normal 4.2.1 Puppy - you are automatically logged in as root. However, there are a few new wizards in the Setup section of the menu. One for adding new users. One for changing your password. And one for disabling the automatic login. The idea here is that this could be used as a standard Puppy, without impacting the vast majority who like to be root, while still allowing the few who really have good reasons to not be root to do as they choose with minimum effort. Which also means they stop complaining about how they don't like being root. So it's a win for everybody.

There were a great many changes that had to happen under the surface for this to work nicely. See the above link to read the gory details. I'll just list a summary of the features here:

Wizards for adding new users and configuring the autologin feature.
Has sudo
Users in the "disk" group can mount/unmount partitions.
Users in the "audio" group can use audio devices.
Users in the "power" group can poweroff and reboot.
Users can have a personalized xorg.conf file at /etc/X11/$USER/xorg.conf. (This must be created by hand, as the xorgwizard is root-only.)
The Xvesa video wizard will allow user-specific configuration.
Has virtual terminals 1-6 configured. X will run on 7.
Global /etc/bashrc file.
Includes the real shadow utilities (useradd, gpasswd, etc.).

Note: limited users are not able to run PetGet.

To head off a question I'm sure is at the top of a lot of people's minds: No, I will not upgrade this to newer (or older) versions of Puppy. My only goal was to show that this is possible and to document the process for other people to repeat (see the above link to gory details). It is up to whoever else cares enough to take what I've done and apply it to other versions of Puppy. I will fix bugs, of course, if they are bugs with what I've done. More general Puppy bugs are outside the scope of this project. Fixing those would confuse the changes needed for multiuser with the changes needed to fix generic bugs. The idea here is to show how to do it more than to make a good puplet, so I won't fix generic bugs in this. You are of course free to (and encouraged to) make your own implementation that does fix those bugs.

Have fun! Razz

Last updated 2009-11-08

dejan555 · Joined: 30 Nov 2008 Posts: 1709 Location: Montenegro

Congrats!!! Will download iso tomorrow and posting announce on my blog too. Wink

dawg · Joined: 09 Aug 2009 Posts: 52 Location: .si

Awesome! I'll try this out as soon as I'm able. Thanks a bunch, Pizzasgood!

cthisbear · Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 1646 Location: Sydney Australia

Not my bag but as usual you show consideration
for others.

And apply your talents accordingly.

Might even post this in Whirlpool...for the multi user moaners.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/

Regards Chris.

raffy · Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 4315 Location: Manila

Another milestone in Puppy Linux, and done by the youngest (but senior!) developer of Puppy Linux. Thanks, PG.

Now in the news: http://puppylinux.org/news/puplets/puppy421multiuseriso/

aarf · Posted: Mon 05 Oct 2009, 12:28 Post_subject:

this is impressive and does take puppy to a new level.
still not quite sure why multiple encrypted pupsaves was not sufficient to be considered multiuser though.

Pizzasgood · Posted: Mon 05 Oct 2009, 14:59 Post_subject:

Encryption is good for privacy. It does not address permissions. If I let somebody use my computer for a bit, and am relying on separate save files to protect me, nothing would stop the other person from deleting my file, whether by accident or on purpose.

If I instead log out and log back in as a different user who has no permission to access the drives, then it's a completely different situation.

Also, logging out and in is faster than rebooting.

Separate savefiles are best when all users are trusted, because that way every user can have root permissions and his own uniquely configured OS. But when untrusted users are involved, the more conventional user system works better.

aarf · Posted: Mon 05 Oct 2009, 15:31 Post_subject:

Pizzasgood · Posted: Mon 05 Oct 2009, 15:59 Post_subject:

Not everybody uses a computer in the same way. My lifestyle is not compatible with living out of a flash drive. Maybe when a 500 GB flash drive costs $20 and has a speed comparable to a quality SATA drive. But that's still a few years away.

Part of the reason for their argument is just that they don't stop to think about what being root in Puppy really entails. In most distros it's a lot more painful to reinstall the OS than Puppy.

I personally prefer being root, but I do feel that Puppy should at least offer the choice so long as it has no harmful impact on the majority, which it doesn't. There are valid reason to need limited users. Even if it's just one limited user so that you can run a public kiosk with somewhat less risk of it being harmed.

raffy · Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 4315 Location: Manila

I guess PG already explained it before, that a Puppy with a (fully operational) multi (added) user feature is better than a Puppy without it. After all, additional choice means progress.

This is a feature that is good to learn and apply to one's Puppy.

As to the use of mobile storage devices for OS and programs, to most users, OS/Programs = hardware/PC.

And to most Linux enthusiasts, OS for ordinary user = non-root user. Muliuser Puppy should win their favor now.

Not to encourage the users' old ways, but to win them over (for their own benefit) until they appreciate the difference.

superattilius · Joined: 13 Mar 2009 Posts: 9

trapster · Joined: 28 Nov 2005 Posts: 1728 Location: Maine, USA

I can confirm http://www.browserloadofcoolness.com is not loading this morning.

dejan555 · Joined: 30 Nov 2008 Posts: 1709 Location: Montenegro

Working now. At least for me. It wasn't few minutes ago though.

sneekylinux · Joined: 20 Mar 2009 Posts: 35 Location: dorset,uk

just tried multi user puppy,and it does not want to shut down,it just restarts x,even trying from the terminal.

Pizzasgood · Posted: Tue 06 Oct 2009, 17:44 Post_subject:

The link is working for me right now too. Must have been a hiccup.