GDM 2.24 design defect for supporting multiple sessions

[Jason Kim-2]

I'm currently testing GDM-2.24 as the XDMCP server and found one design
defect for supporting multiple sessions concurrently.

I noticed that each "gdm-simple-slave" starts a gnome-session for the
greeter as "gdm" user.  I understand the benefit of using gnome-session
for the greeter, but it will cause problems if there are multiple
"gdm-simple-slave"s running.  

As every greeter sessions is started as the same user ("gdm"), any
changes in one session will affect to the others.

Does anyone have more insight on this?  Has design been changed in
2.26 ?  
 
Jason

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**********************************
Jason Kim, Software Developer
http://userful.com
709 11 AVE SW
Calgary AB T2R 0E3
Tel: [phone]   EXT: 210
     866-USERFUL (873-7385)
Fax: [phone]

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[Brian Cameron]

Jason:

> I'm currently testing GDM-2.24 as the XDMCP server and found one design
> defect for supporting multiple sessions concurrently.
>
> I noticed that each "gdm-simple-slave" starts a gnome-session for the
> greeter as "gdm" user.  I understand the benefit of using gnome-session
> for the greeter, but it will cause problems if there are multiple
> "gdm-simple-slave"s running.  

What specific problems are you finding?

> As every greeter sessions is started as the same user ("gdm"), any
> changes in one session will affect to the others.

I do not believe that the user has any ability to change any session
configuration while the GDM login screen is running.  Are there any
specific configuration options that you are finding are causing problems
when using GDM in a multi-user environment?

> Does anyone have more insight on this?  Has design been changed in
> 2.26 ?  

GDM has used gnome-session, gnome-settings-daemon, and metacity while
the login screen is running since GNOME 2.21.  GDM 2.21 was a complete
rewrite, and uses a completely new codebase.

In GDM 2.20 and earlier, GDM used its own simple window manager and did
not use a real session manager or settings daemon.

Brian

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[Jason Kim-2]

On Sun, 2009-06-28 at 18:18 -0500, Brian Cameron wrote:

> Jason:
>
> > I'm currently testing GDM-2.24 as the XDMCP server and found one design
> > defect for supporting multiple sessions concurrently.
> >
> > I noticed that each "gdm-simple-slave" starts a gnome-session for the
> > greeter as "gdm" user.  I understand the benefit of using gnome-session
> > for the greeter, but it will cause problems if there are multiple
> > "gdm-simple-slave"s running.  
>
> What specific problems are you finding?

I have two "Display"s connected to the same XDMCP server. When I started
"Universal Access Preferences" and launched programs like "on board
screen keyboard" or "screen magnifier", they were also started on the
other greeter display too.   Changing the language setting in one
greeter screen also affected the other greeter screen too.  

>
> > As every greeter sessions is started as the same user ("gdm"), any
> > changes in one session will affect to the others.
>
> I do not believe that the user has any ability to change any session
> configuration while the GDM login screen is running.  Are there any
> specific configuration options that you are finding are causing problems
> when using GDM in a multi-user environment?

There is language chooser in the panel of greeter screen. When I changed
it to other language, it affected other Display.

>
> > Does anyone have more insight on this?  Has design been changed in
> > 2.26 ?  
>
> GDM has used gnome-session, gnome-settings-daemon, and metacity while
> the login screen is running since GNOME 2.21.  GDM 2.21 was a complete
> rewrite, and uses a completely new codebase.
>
> In GDM 2.20 and earlier, GDM used its own simple window manager and did
> not use a real session manager or settings daemon.

Thank you for this explanation.

>
> Brian
>
--
**********************************
Jason Kim, Software Developer
http://userful.com
709 11 AVE SW
Calgary AB T2R 0E3
Tel: [phone]   EXT: 210
     866-USERFUL (873-7385)
Fax: [phone]

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gdm-list mailing list
gdm-list@...
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[Brian Cameron]

Jason:

Sounds nasty.  I'd file a bug at bugzilla.gnome.org in the "gdm"
category so this gets looked into.

Brian

>>> I'm currently testing GDM-2.24 as the XDMCP server and found one design
>>> defect for supporting multiple sessions concurrently.
>>>
>>> I noticed that each "gdm-simple-slave" starts a gnome-session for the
>>> greeter as "gdm" user.  I understand the benefit of using gnome-session
>>> for the greeter, but it will cause problems if there are multiple
>>> "gdm-simple-slave"s running.  
>> What specific problems are you finding?
>
> I have two "Display"s connected to the same XDMCP server. When I started
> "Universal Access Preferences" and launched programs like "on board
> screen keyboard" or "screen magnifier", they were also started on the
> other greeter display too.   Changing the language setting in one
> greeter screen also affected the other greeter screen too.  
>
>>> As every greeter sessions is started as the same user ("gdm"), any
>>> changes in one session will affect to the others.
>> I do not believe that the user has any ability to change any session
>> configuration while the GDM login screen is running.  Are there any
>> specific configuration options that you are finding are causing problems
>> when using GDM in a multi-user environment?
>
> There is language chooser in the panel of greeter screen. When I changed
> it to other language, it affected other Display.
>
>
>>> Does anyone have more insight on this?  Has design been changed in
>>> 2.26 ?  
>> GDM has used gnome-session, gnome-settings-daemon, and metacity while
>> the login screen is running since GNOME 2.21.  GDM 2.21 was a complete
>> rewrite, and uses a completely new codebase.
>>
>> In GDM 2.20 and earlier, GDM used its own simple window manager and did
>> not use a real session manager or settings daemon.
>
> Thank you for this explanation.
>
>> Brian
>>

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