Mate Linux, remove "Switch User" and "Leave Message" buttons.
If you are using a Linux distribution with a mate desktop interface, here's how to remove some of the buttons on the screen-lock dialog.
This is the default lock-screen you'd see when pressing alt-L (or windows key and L if you use a PC keyboard):
I want to remove the 'Leave Message' option, and also the 'Switch User' option. (The entire 'Switch User' concept is a very bad idea anyway).
To remove these buttons, we need to edit a file. As you need root permissions, open a terminal and type
(Substutute 'pluma' above with the name of your text editor).
A new window should open, and you'll be able to edit the file.
Scroll down (to about line 116). You are looking for the following:
<object class="GtkButton" id="auth-note-button">
<property name="label" translatable="yes">_Leave Message</property
<property name="visible">True</property>
<property name="can_focus">True</property>
<property name="focus_on_click">False</property>
<property name="can_default">True</property>
<property name="receives_default">False</property>
<property name="use_underline">True</property>
</object>
<packing>
<property name="expand">False</property>
<property name="fill">False</property>
<property name="position">0</property>
</packing>
</child>
<child>
<object class="GtkButton" id="auth-switch-button">
<property name="label" translatable="yes">_Switch User</property>
<property name="visible">False</property>
<property name="can_focus">False</property>
<property name="focus_on_click">False</property>
<property name="can_default">False</property>
<property name="receives_default">False</property>
<property name="use_underline">True</property>
</object>
<packing>
<property name="expand">False</property>
<property name="fill">False</property>
<property name="position">1</property>
</packing>
</child>
Scroll until you find the part mentioning 'Leave Message'. Make sure you also select the lines above, starting with <child>
Select all the lines, making sure your last selected line ends with </child>
You can now just delete all these lines, and save over the original.
Changes you make are immediate, so press alt-L to activate the lock screen.
Your lock screen should now have changed and no longer show the 'Leave Message' and 'Switch User' options.
If you made a mistake editing the file, you can unlock and return to your still open document in your text editor. Press ctrl-z (or edit menu, undo) and save over the original file again. This will restore the file to before you made any edits.
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