[Web4lib] adobe acrobat and kiosk terminals

[Vermeersch, Scott M.]

You can use the ManageIE Browser Helper Object available on the TeamSoftware Solutions Download page to prevent Internet Explorer from opening. ManageIE will also prevent patrons from using MS Word links to open IE as well if you have MS Word available.

ManageIE is free and it does work on Terminal Servers.

Scott Vermeersch
Computer Systems Analyst
Mayo Medical Library

 

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Barkovich, Greg
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 12:18 PM
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Web4lib] adobe acrobat and kiosk terminals

We have several kiosk terminals in our library using Public Web Browser.
These terminals are intended to be used for subscription database use only (eg, no open Internet access). I am using PWB's 'blacklist'
function to deny access to the obvious links on database pages that lead to the Internet at large, etc. This has been working reasonable well until patrons discovered that in the newer version of acrobat (7.0) there is an option to run a Yahoo/Internet search on the menu bar.  This option opens a search window which then opens an unrestricted version of Internet Explorer (eg, with address bar available) and the way to the Internet is open.
 
Background: we are using thin clients running windows terminal server and IE is installed, and needed, on the server (our general access Internet terminals use IE). So removing IE from the server running the kiosk terminals is not an option. The adobe search function, even though it is opened within PWB, will call up and open IE on the database/kiosk terminals, so a PWB blacklist is useless when a pdf file can be opened.
Obviously, with Ebsco and other database vendors putting so many docs into pdf format, it is not very hard to find a pdf link on these kiosk terminals.
 
Has anyone seen this before? How do you deal with the adobe Internet search feature on kiosk terminals? Is there a reliable alternative to acrobat, that lacks these bells and whistles, that would be more appropriate for a kiosk terminal? 
 
Thanks for any help,
 
 
Greg Barkovich, Librarian
Burnaby Public Library
6100 Willingdon Ave.
Burnaby, BC V5H 4N5
604-436-5425 phone
604-436-9087 fax
www.bpl.bc.ca <http://www.bpl.bc.ca/> 
 
NOTE: The contents of this message may not necessarily reflect the position of Burnaby Public Library. If you have concerns about this message, please email bpl at bpl.burnaby.bc.ca.
 
_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4lib at webjunction.org
http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/