Launcher strategies

[Richard Gaskin]

At the SoCal Linux Expo yesterday I ran into fellow LiveCode dev Todd 
Cranston-Cuebas, and over lunch we were brainstorming solutions to a 
problem he has and one option is something that's near and dear to the 
hearts of many xTalkers:  a custom launcher UI.

The idea is to present an alternative to the desktop for computers used 
in a specialized setting, so that the only options available are the 
ones the UI provides.

Making these sorts of things was a popular hobby among many HyperCard 
fans, and it's not hard to do and reasonably useful as a startup app.

But there's a problem with making this sort of kiosk-style launcher:

It's too easy to launch an app and then have it go behind the launcher 
if they click on the launcher window.

Ideally there would be some sort of stay-behind window property, sort of 
the opposite of a stay-in-front palette, but I know of know way to do that.

Anyone here have an external or other solution for making a stay-in-back 
window in Mac, Win and Linux?

Extra bonus points:  what x-plat methods are there for trapping things 
like Cmd-Tab to prevent switching out of this sort of kiosk mode?

TIA -

--
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World
  LiveCode training and consulting: http://www.fourthworld.com
  Webzine for LiveCode developers: http://www.LiveCodeJournal.com
  LiveCode Journal blog: http://LiveCodejournal.com/blog.irv