This is an old take. Modern Linux management includes plenty of restarts and updates. Sometimes just as many as windows, especially with modern enterprises plugging heavy kennel-space agents into their Linux images.
Both ecosystems have adapted to the routine reboot annoyances, so it's no longer a real differentiator.
The most correct answer so far is Win11 IoT. But there's a good chance it won't have enough "windows" for your school needs.
If you're just trying to get work done and not trying to stick it to the man with the purity test that this thread seems to insist upon, you can install normally and force an offline user. (Microsoft keeps threatening to kill this capability, it still worked last time I tried early last year.)
Self signed for this use case is fine. you know and trust both ends of your connection, and no one else needs to know or trust either end of the connection.
This reply is the closest thing to good advice in this thread.
The only thing that's going to get that out without cutting a slot is a tack weld. Which will likely burn the wood. Just cut a slot. You can find another aged carriage bolt to replace it.
lol I started to reply, suggesting a recommendation feature to help find non-algorithmic tech feeds but then realized that's exactly how all this started.
While I support the idea of using RSS readers to break free from algorithmic and/or AI curated feeds, I've mostly stopped bothering, since all the content that gets into the feeds has become algorithmic, AI slop.
On a project geared specifically toward helping the ignorant, documentation and admin guides are probably more important than code releases.
Non technical people will want to see and understand the process before they have to do the process, so don't really on simple wizards to be your breakthrough to the masses.
I'll take a look at this safebox out of curiosity, but as I said in the previous thread, assuming this even meets OP's goal, I expect the project to be another abandoned GitHub repo once the constant security maintenance cycles hit.
I'm generally of the opinion that OP's target could be better met with well designed and well maintained walkthroughs of the most common use cases. There's a ton of documentation and tutorials out there, but they're all either terrible or unmaintained. A system that cross-linked and branched for the various up to date use cases like a choose-your-own-adventure book would be super.
You're confusing a lack of handholding with gatekeeping.
beginner friendly solution, something with a UI, fewer manual configs...
First, you're not entirely right. you can get a ton of self hosting done with things like Synology or Home assistant, and never see the complexity. You might get owned by a botnet, but it "works."
Self hosting securely has a steep learning curve, there's no way around that. What you're asking for is for someone to write programs that'll let you skip the learning curve.
GitHub is littered with abandoned attempts at doing this. You bury your lede by mentioning "your project" at the end. It's your project going to be another well intentioned attempt that's eventually abandoned or causes more problems than it solves?
Woah TIL that because I'm admin, I'm self hosting an entire enterprise of nearly 50,000 users.