How do I customize the Guest Account in Lion

Getting back to the idea of removing "setup" screens for various apps in the guest account, I found this video very helpful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU-W2-_c5bA

ms4505 wrote:

I'd like to go back to the original question. I don't see an answer here yet.

We just set up a new iMac in the front office and need the "Guest" account for those who float through the office. Unfortunately, the way it currently works, each time they open Microsoft Word they are asked to register since the user files are deleted.

I would also like to update the dock removing things they won't use like "Mail" and adding Pages and other applications they will use.

Other constant customizations would be great (setting system preferences like printer, custom desktop, Safari Home Page, etc.) but at least not having them asked to register applications each time would be good.

The original poster, Richard, added a link to how to do it in Snow Leopard, but it doesn't work in Lion.

Anyone figure out how to do this in LION yet?

Thanks.

Probably a dumb question, but rather than using the actual Guest account, couldn't you just create a regular managed user for guests to use?

I dunno about ms4505, but in my case, the idea of letting users use a machine w/ certain default settings (browser homescreen, no "register your copy of MS Office" screens, etc), while at the same time allowing them to download files, change various settings, etc, yet have everything instantly revert to your defaults at logout is very appealing.

Between the youtube video I posted above and Workgroup Manager, I have believe this is one of the most simple and complete "public computing" setups I have ever seen (and I've been setting these darn things up on Mac, Windows and Linux for 15 years).

Well, ms4505 seems to not want things to revert to the defaults, if I read the comment correctly.

Hmm. The way I read it, we want the same thing: For things to revert to our (system administrator's) predetermined defaults. This is very handy if say, you are a public library, or a school.

Hey. I don't know if this works for you. I tried it in Mountain Lion. I basically enabled parental controls, I enabled to "user can modify the dock" and then I logged in under the Guest account. Then I removed the programs I didn't want and put the ones that I did want. But here is what I did.

When clicked the Apple to click on "Log Out Guest User...", I held down the Command AND the Alt - Option key and it logged out WITHOUT asking me to delete the files and when I logged back in, the dock remained the way I set it up.

Hope this works for you.