No Cyber Cafe Software for Ubuntu yet...

[Neal McBurnett]

On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 01:12:52PM +0000, Matthew Paul Thomas wrote:
> Onkar Shinde wrote on 23/12/09 09:19:
> > 
> > On Mon, Dec 21, 2009 at 3:09 AM, omar ar <papan_selaju27 at yahoo.com>
> > wrote:
> >> 
> >> Why not the ubuntu developer develope the cyber cafe software that
> >> works with ubuntu server and clients. There is no any cyber cafe
> >> software for ubuntu yet. and make it open source perhaps. It will
> >> make easier for anybody who wants to open a cyber cafe business.
> > 
> > Just saying cyber cafe software doesn't say much. What kind of
> > functionality are you looking for. Perhaps it is already available in
> > different packages.
> >...
> 
> A client applet that locks the screen whenever the computer is not in
> use; shows time elapsed, and charges so far, whenever it is in use; and
> completely resets the environment when the customer has finished.
> 
> An editable schedule of charges for amount of time spent on the computer
> (including things like overnight specials and loyalty programs), and for
> extras such as printing and CD-Rs.
> 
> A dashboard showing a geographically-correct map of computers in the
> cybercafe; whether each one is free, in use, in use but idle, or
> unresponsive; and for each one in use, how long it has been used and
> what charges have accrued. The ability to add extra charges to a
> computer manually, or to reset its time if something went wrong.
> 
> Integration with the printing system, so that when someone prints
> something they get charged automatically.
> 
> As a bonus, the ability to check what's happening on the screen of each
> computer to ensure that it won't be disturbing other customers.

Good list!

For what it's worth, I used Linux-based cyber cafe software
(workstation and presumably server also) at a cyber cafe near the
train station in Bansko Bulgaria in 2005.  So there has been some
demand/availability :)

Neal McBurnett                 http://neal.mcburnett.org/