Help me create an awesome network plan for my school journalism lab

[Roar!]

Hello all, good to see you.

I have a problem. Here is the layout:

We have about 12 mac computers from G4 to new imacs all running the same version of OSX (not sure which one). One of the G4 computers is also used as a server to all the other computers.

We have very illiterate computer users in this class so here is what I would like:

I want there to be folders on every desktop that work as a drop box to the server for different sections. So pretend there are three sections. "Opinion", "News", and "Feature." I want the stupid person to be able to drop their word document into the appropriate folder so that I can process it on the server computer. I don't want to reconnect every time we fire up the lab. This needs to be a one step process.

Possible?

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

maybe create a networked folder on the G4?

 

[iMouse]

The Correct Way...

would be to install Mac OS X Server on the G4 that you are using as a server system. Enable Open Directory Services and connect the other Macs to the Open Directory server using the Directory Utility. From this point, you can do pretty much anything you want such as user authentication, mounting of AFP, FTP, SMB/CIFS shares, etc.

This works great because you are able to give individual users or groups different access to shares and what-not at your discretion.


Or, you could always do it the "rigged way" and create an AppleScript to launch as a startup item when the user logs in. Details are better explained here... http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20050215082247458

I had also created an alias once on Panther/Tiger systems and pointed to that as a login item. Not sure if this still works under Leopard as a lot of those things have changed. Give it a try. It can't hurt.

 

[Consultant]

Quick way:

Save the login info to the specific folders on each mac. Make an alias to such drop box on each mac. It should auto connect when user try to put things into the alias.

 

[jaw04005]

I was the editor my college newspaper and managed roughly 15 Macs ranging from G3's to G5's. This is what I did, and it worked fantastically.

Server
1. Installed latest Mac OS X Server (10.4 Tiger at the time).
2. Created a non-admin user account with appropriate permissions.
3. Created shared folders for the user account.

Clients
1. Installed latest Mac OS X (10.4 Tiger).
2. Created a User account and Admin account.
3. Did all software updates.
4. Installed Creative Suite, InCopy and other appropriate software.
5. Placed appropriate software apps in the dock, removed unused items.
6. Setup printer and installed fonts.
7. Created Automator action that automatically connected to server's shared folders.
8. Turned off Dock modification.
9. Created a Master image using Net Restore (http://www.bombich.com/software/netrestore.html).
10. Blasted that image to all the clients.

To my knowledge, they're still using a modified version of that setup.