Centos 5.4 -- need multi-user gui (Gnome or KDE)

**lsatenstein** · 01-06-2010, 03:42 AM

The standard CENTOS distribution is geared to server operation, and as such, the gnome or system logon screen does not allow more then one gui user on the terminal at a time. Is there a convenient link permitting me to have the switch user option in CENTOS 5.4 Gnome? I would like to have the logon prompt if the user locks up his session. Right now we get the logon screen to "Unlock" the session.

To unlock, I switch to terminal logon (as root) and kill the gnome screensaver sessions. This reverts the session back to normal, from which I do a logout, and log in as the other user.

Multi-user for Centos5.4 is a must.

**rwolfe** · 01-07-2010, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by lsatenstein

The standard CENTOS distribution is geared to server operation, and as such, the gnome or system logon screen does not allow more then one gui user on the terminal at a time. Is there a convenient link permitting me to have the switch user option in CENTOS 5.4 Gnome? I would like to have the logon prompt if the user locks up his session. Right now we get the logon screen to "Unlock" the session.

To unlock, I switch to terminal logon (as root) and kill the gnome screensaver sessions. This reverts the session back to normal, from which I do a logout, and log in as the other user.

Multi-user for Centos5.4 is a must.

In this case, then, I would not use CentOS, but Fedora instead, since, as you said, CentOS is a server oriented OS.

**lsatenstein** · 01-11-2010, 01:09 AM

I found the solution via a Google search. I had to download the Gnome configuration editor.
Openup the screen save application, scroll to be bottom and enable multi-user logon.

This task has to be performed for each user. I did not find the template for gnome so that doing it once would do it for all new usrs.

And it works.

**beezlebubsbum** · 01-13-2010, 07:48 AM

good to hear lsatenstein. How do you find CentOS? I have been wanting to try it for some time now, but have never had the time to tinker around with it. I am considering removing my Ubuntu web server and using CentOS instead, as it seems to be more server orientated. Thoughts anyone?

**lsatenstein** · 01-13-2010, 08:44 PM

This is actually a RED Hat system, without the RH utilities.

Centos's gui is fine (like Fedora 7 or 8), and the most important thing is that Centos is directed to stability.

It just runs and runs, and appears efficient. It is not the highest performer (uses ext3), not ext4, but you do not want an experimental environment for product.

By the way the l in lsatenstein is for Leslie

**beezlebubsbum** · 01-20-2010, 03:09 AM

When you say they have removed the RH utilities, do you mean they have also removed the GUI programs to set up things like apache? Or just the branding?

**lsatenstein** · 01-28-2010, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by beezlebubsbum

When you say they have removed the RH utilities, do you mean they have also removed the GUI programs to set up things like apache? Or just the branding?

Centos gurus remove the Red Hat Specific extras and provide a basic superfunctional superstable server platform. You cannot ask Red Hat to support it, but you may get support via the Centos Forums.

It is great!