Help with Setting up an Open Source Cybercafe....

[blueshift]

offtopic: installation every week??
why?
why don't he install Linux 'also' apart from Windows? so that if customer is eager for Win he can boot into Win.

 

[FilledVoid]

offtopic: installation every week??
why?
why don't he install Linux 'also' apart from Windows? so that if customer is eager for Win he can boot into Win.

Due to the presence of pretty much every other piece of malware on the computer. Installing Linux with Windows still doesnt solve his concerns though.

 

[gxsaurav]

Can u tell me here the config of the lowest end computer there?

The best & most compatible option for u is to use Windows XP stripped using nLite, along with Ad muncher, Firefox or IE 7 whatever u like, WIndows Classic skin with XPize, .net runtimes.

I have done this kind of deployment in my friends cyber cafe which as 16 computer all running AthlonXP 2000+ CPU with 512 MB RAM & WIndows XP stripped & custom deployed for his cafe only. This is also my render farm

Just use someone common sense & method we WIndows users are familier with & you can prevent any kind of malware on any computer.

For those who want linux can use a LiveCD.

 

[blueshift]

yah right.
If he needs to install Windows every week then he is not taking enough security measures to protect against malware.

yah right.
If he needs to install Windows every week then he is not taking enough security measures to protect against malware.

Use Live CD only if u have good amount of RAM..

 

[infra_red_dude]

Just use someone common sense & method we WIndows users are familier with & you can prevent any kind of malware on any computer.

You think every person that comes to surf in the cyber cafe has "common sense" and is over-cautious as you are? That is the topic of this discussion. He wants to shift to a safer environment because of this problem!

 

[FilledVoid]

You think every person that comes to surf in the cyber cafe has "common sense" and is over-cautious as you are? That is the topic of this discussion. He wants to shift to a safer environment because of this problem!

I wanted to say this but avoided it cause I didn't want another OS1 vs OS2 comparison thread

 

[gary4gar]

There comes the difference between 99% Literacy to 60% here at WB

anyway the margine is really low here who would prefer FF over IE !! mostly we have FF as alternate at all systems but rarelly we see some one using FF

well i suggest you remove IE from one or two pc & install vanilla Firefox(no themes & no addons)
well i suggest you remove IE from one or two pc. and however ask where is IE then say:
cc:sir, there was a virus in Internet explorer, our system guys will fix it as soon as possible
Customer:so what i use to open wwww.orkut.com??
CC:sir then use this(do not say the name, just click & open) & this is alternative of internet explorer
Customer: ok how to use it?
CC: simple, type name in address bar(point to it) & press enter just like internet explorer
now when he have used it 2-3, he will not use IE again(atleast version 6)


also, it reminds a mgt rule, i have learned "Humans always resist change"
so it applies here too

 

[Choto Cheeta]

well i suggest you remove IE from one or two pc & install vanilla Firefox(no themes & no addons)
well i suggest you remove IE from one or two pc. and however ask where is IE then say:
cc:sir, there was a virus in Internet explorer, our system guys will fix it as soon as possible
Customer:so what i use to open wwww.orkut.com??
CC:sir then use this(do not say the name, just click & open) & this is alternative of internet explorer
Customer: ok how to use it?
CC: simple, type name in address bar(point to it) & press enter just like internet explorer
now when he have used it 2-3, he will not use IE again(atleast version 6)


also, it reminds a mgt rule, i have learned "Humans always resist change"
so it applies here too

Dont u think we have tried it ??

We did, 1st, I dont attent our cafes... so dont think that our operators are also a exp FireFox user... so any out of the box question will be very tough for them to answer...

So yes I did carrey out few session with all of them to make them comfortable with FF but still, saying IE7 had a virus which our AVS failed detect and then which curropted the system and we are fixing it makes u to lose your trust...

So its out of question to say IE7 has some problem... Simply u cant say you have a problem... Customer will not going to sit in a problemed system...

So what I did is I made FF the default browser and kept IE7 too... so user had option to use FF, operators asked users that this is an alternative to FF where as user can use IE7 too...

apart from tech students no one used FF and that too Tech students used FF only as they ejoyed the FF in built downloader

No one used FF only because they felt it is faster than IE7, to be honest with 2 MBPS any browser runs almost the same...

When I allowed FlashGet / IDM on systems which have FF, once again that pool of FF users shifted towards IE by shifting their download needs to FlashGet or IDM....

Now comes the buniess users who use a lot of Enterprise Web Based portal Applications... once again FF comes with a compatibility issue.. I cant help it.. and I cant ask that pool of users to ask their own company to change their setup

So see for ur self how low the percentage is who liked FF and even those who liked or prefered, look at their reason...

My project ended in a negative way I had to return to MS platform full time

 

[FilledVoid]

If you just need an alternative look alike this might be interesting

*johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/firefox_internet_explorer/

Although the rest of the problems are definitely bad . I guess the crowd we have is either folks who use the internet alot or people who don't use them at all and dont care what they get . not to mention the Internet Cafes 75% income is probably from Students.

 

[praka123]

@exx:install ies4linux on his systems for those who are "must need IE" users
that solves i suppose!
*www.tatanka.com.br/

 

[Choto Cheeta]

@exx_2000

Quite frankly FF doesnt increase any Productivity for our self apart from the feel that yeah we are atleast open source at this platform... IE is as secure ass FF to us under group policy... and with strong AVS we never had any issue...

but in cafe business our aim is not to make our self happy so there is no way i can think of Forcing some thing to any one... its all give choice where users may use if they like...

At any point there should not be any presure of such... for instance using FF / or any apps...

not to mention the Internet Cafes 75% income is probably from Students.

strange we find it otherway around

90% of students (upto 12th std) mostly comes for Porn... which we block as strong way as possible...

90% of students after 12th comes for mainly YouTube / Email / Chat / Downloads while doing those, they access Job portal, and some time their univerisy portals...

To be honest u actually dont need many YouTube or CAM / Voice chat users as its eating up bandwidth which is free as users pay a certain hourly basis charge...

To us most valued customers are the main business users, that pool uses their own Web Based portal...

So the main issue is not forcing people to use FF... its just giving them information that a product is there alternate to IE which many users in the world find better than IE... Here onwords its the user who gives his verdict that yes he will too use FF or not he will still use IE...

now what can I do as in my case i see users continuing with IE...

I am surprise to see approch of many of u linux lovers and users... I dont get one point... basically as an open source lover supporter usually one would support the choice of freedom... wont it ??

where here when I offered choice to my cusotmers why do I see that i am gievn options to actually invade that freedom.. isnt it freedom of those users to chose between a given choice in this case IE and FF ?? if they chose IE should not I value their freedom of choice ??

Why would i try and make FF loook like IE and then trick an user to force him to use FF ?? if the user doesnt like FF under its original form why should I keep trick him to use FF invading his freedom of choice ??

 

[FilledVoid]

I am surprise to see approch of many of u linux lovers and users... I dont get one point... basically as an open source lover supporter usually one would support the choice of freedom... wont it ??

where here when I offered choice to my cusotmers why do I see that i am gievn options to actually invade that freedom.. isnt it freedom of those users to chose between a given choice in this case IE and FF ?? if they chose IE should not I value their freedom of choice ??

Why would i try and make FF loook like IE and then trick an user to force him to use FF ?? if the user doesnt like FF under its original form why should I keep trick him to use FF invading his freedom of choice ??

Nice Point. However my post wasn't to justify using FF as a substitute but rather the fact that FF is customizable to an extent that looks like IE. Since your clients are mainly from the business sector restricting usage based on group policies etc wouldn't hurt you much . However in this guys case it would most likely send him home after the next bill comes. On the positive note there are only 2 Internet center's where I live and barely anyone goes to the other cause it has I recall 2 - 3 terminals and is in a remote location.

Anyway, in the end I guess its going to basically be a trade off between the both. Not to mention he doesn't own a single licensed version of software. And I seriously doubt the ability of an Internet cafe owner to start purchasing actual software at these rates. I would seriously like to see what 90% of the owners would do if rules started to be enforced just like the Music Industry.

 

[MetalheadGautham]

don't bother using any KDE based desktop. it will only eat up ram.
use a light Xfce or IceWM desktop.

@cheeta: Ice can look like Windows 95 too. both have similar UIs

I suggest Vector Linux. It looks very much like Windows XP and is Based on Slackware and Xfce

You can always try to customise/tweak IM clients, which can be done on each PC

and Xubuntu too is a good idea, but go for the Dapper Drake LTS version 6.06


In bangalore, anyone who goes to an internet cafe prefers Firefox. Opera is the second option. IE is only used as a last resort.

People like firefox because:

1. Noia 2.0 eXtreme fully skinned theme
2. DownThemAll
3. Ad Block Plus
4. Flash Block
5. Google Toolbar
6. IE 7 Theme
7. Video Downloader(guess why)
8. IE Tab, which net cafe owners customize so that most IE only sites open in it
9. Feeling of superiority by most of the younger users who think Firefox is "Cooler" than IE.
10 Tabbed browsing

besides, this is the IT capital of India. So we have lots of guys who know about FF and Opera along with linux. They(mainly the first two) have become a sensation in here, because Orkut runs on FF perfectly.

 

[praka123]

^yeah Bengalooru ande IT hubbu.but u cant expect the same in remote places!My solution is to install systems with Xubuntu or better Icebuntu and customize it.install the gtk applications.ies4linux solves the Internet Explorer lacking.ies4linux looks and works the same as IE6/7 and uses IE engine afaik.I had used it when bsnl broadband usage site supported only IE6.

So,I think with a customized Xubuntu or Icebuntu(u can remaster it for cd/dvd images) with ies4linux(IE7/6),Firefox,pidgin will solve this.no piracy and no format-reinstall schedule as in windows installations.

 

[ravi_9793]

Dear frineds.......@ choto cheeta has proved which is most liked browser.
He tried to to shift his customers to FF..but failed.

Generally people say....firefox/ Opera is not used by most user..because they don't know about them.But here...he left systems with both IE7 and FF , and told customers about FF...than also they preferred IE.

Even Tech students...shifted back to IE, after installation of flashget /IDM.

So, why we should force user to shift to FF.Let them choose the best.

 

[praka123]

Help with Setting up an Open Source Cybercafe..
^my answer was regarding the OP.esp #34

 

[Choto Cheeta]

@MetalheadGautham

@cheeta: Ice can look like Windows 95 too. both have similar UIs

Once again you failed to get the point...

I am surprise to see approch of many of u linux lovers and users... I dont get one point... basically as an open source lover supporter usually one would support the choice of freedom... wont it ??

where here when I offered choice to my cusotmers why do I see that i am gievn options to actually invade that freedom.. isnt it freedom of those users to chose between a given choice in this case IE and FF ?? if they chose IE should not I value their freedom of choice ??

Why would i try and make FF loook like IE and then trick an user to force him to use FF ?? if the user doesnt like FF under its original form why should I keep trick him to use FF invading his freedom of choice ??

In bangalore, anyone who goes to an internet cafe prefers Firefox. Opera is the second option. IE is only used as a last resort.

This is what I cant never confirm unless I dont visit and surf at Banglore cafes for few weeks... So yes I have to trust your stats in the fact...

but as I wrote its completelly different in Kolkata / West Bengal at-least or even in few states of North India where I have travelled...

Also at our places most of those feature are also avialavle under IE7 and some 3rd tool like ad blocking is archived via KIS or download options via FlashGet...

I already wrote the pool of users which used FF only because of its download options.. when I added FlashGet, that pool shifted towards IE for browsing needs and FlashGet for their Download needes....

 

[gxsaurav]

yah right.
If he needs to install Windows every week then he is not taking enough security measures to protect against malware.

If you are concerned about this, then have a look at Windows StedyState...it's a boon to cyber cafe owners

You think every person that comes to surf in the cyber cafe has "common sense" and is over-cautious as you are? That is the topic of this discussion. He wants to shift to a safer environment because of this problem

Make a standard user in Windows XP

Block running all exe's other then few pre-defined ones. Use admuncher...that's it

Deployment using Windows XP isn't tough. If u r willing we can help u with this on your old systems too, cos I myself have done it here.

 

[FilledVoid]

If you are concerned about this, then have a look at Windows StedyState

Very interesting! I heard that he tried Deep Freeze and wasn't really pleased about that.

Another problem with this is

Are you ready to download Windows SteadyState for your genuine Windows XP computer? There's no cost. Download it now, or look around and learn more.

I seriously doubt he even has one legal copy .

Block running all exe's other then few pre-defined ones. Use admuncher...that's it

Deployment using Windows XP isn't tough. If u r willing we can help u with this on your old systems too, cos I myself have done it here.

I think the reason he doesnt block any exes is because h basically allows folks to install the programs they need on computers that dont have it. Example Computer A has IRC but is being used by random user. UberBrowser18 comes in and is said that Computer A his next nearest thing to his home is being used by someone. So he basically grumbles and gets on any system and downloads xchat, mirc and uses it . Although i tell him to keep stuff like that installed by default he showed me another program. Theres like stuff I have to google to find. Personally I think hes trying to please too many folks at once and thus get an ulcer from this.

 

[infra_red_dude]

Dear frineds.......@ choto cheeta has proved which is most liked browser.
He tried to to shift his customers to FF..but failed.

Generally people say....firefox/ Opera is not used by most user..because they don't know about them.But here...he left systems with both IE7 and FF , and told customers about FF...than also they preferred IE.

Even Tech students...shifted back to IE, after installation of flashget /IDM.

So, why we should force user to shift to FF.Let them choose the best.

No Ravi, the point is not forcing users. The point is that the owner of the cyber cafe is unable to prevent malware infections and is tired of re-installing. Plus, as to what I can make out, he doesn't own a single legal copy of any software; neither does he wanna spend.

So the only choice left is get an OSS setup. Firefox is the only decent browser (or least considered so). Hence all the discussions. He just wants to take a step in the right direction by not continuing to use illegal software. This is something to be appreciated