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

[FilledVoid]

Exx_2000, this is for you. How to secure a system running Windows.

I appreciate your effort in posting the thread. If it was my PC I just use an Avast AV and Comodo with updates does the job for me. I guess that the "common sense" fact is a main issue where my comptuer would vary with his. Please note I didnt shift to Linux cause I had security problems on Windows XP . Anyway I dont think I or the cybercafe used Ad Muncher before. Ive never felt it necessary (I don't browse alot of sites. Just some I read casually) . I will ask him to deinifltey try one of those. And saving the install programs on a server is definitely a good idea. I think he already does that for programs like mirc, messengers, Skype etc.

 

[gxsaurav]

just make a standard user with restriction on which exe's (usually programS) he can run & all your virus problems will be solved.

I have done this on my sister's user in my computer. Even if she gets a virus it doesn't run

 

[infra_red_dude]

^^^ That is what the cyber cafe owner doesn't wanna do!

 

[MetalheadGautham]

@saurav: I was trying to tell him to do something that causes something good. Unlike what you thought, I was neither shouting nor suggesting it, but as you took it that way, good for you

@Choto Cheeta: I understand your condition, but I was not advicing you, I was advicing exx_2000. In your case, I am sorry to say that most bengali folk are not into computers. They are more into management, science, etc. I have a brilliant bengali as a friend who looses out completely in computers but aces everything else. But exx_2000 is in kerala, where the problem is absent.

@exx_200: There is nothing we can do without hardware knowledge. Windows is out of question, because of the ongoing raids and the owner's unwillingness to buy original software. So its no use going after saurav's idea about windows, IE7(sincearly I doubt it will run), and company. Kerala, along with cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, etc is technically advanced enough thesedays to use Linux, as many people in these places experiment with "geeky" stuff.

The Objective now is to provide a UNIX that runs on the hardware config mentioned by him, and is simple and easy enough to understand, and the menus are located in places similar to windows preferably. IceWM is good for this.

The other, More important objective is to get a chat program for him.

 

[gxsaurav]

^^^ That is what the cyber cafe owner doesn't wanna do!

Not quite, the users can install & use application they want, just that the owner has to be informed first.

Suppose he goes OpenSource, then anyone can install anything via synaptic (assuming ubuntu)....the pc will become a living nightmare

I guess someone needs to make a new Pidgin based IM client which can work without making a profile first.

 

[praka123]

^no,local user cant install from synaptic(though he can run local scripts) that is what differs Linux and Mac from Windows 8)

 

[din]

@praka123

The internet cafe in Broadway (near Alappatt Super Shoppe, Cochin) runs on Linux, that also for quite a long time. I didn't get a chance to get details from that guy but I think he is running it smoothly. One thing is hes very good in Linux, so troubleshooting is not at a problem for him.

@exx_2000, just curious, from which part of Kerala you are ?

 

[gxsaurav]

^no,local user cant install from synaptic(though he can run local scripts) that is what differs Linux and Mac from Windows 8)

If you block running any exe other then a few pre-defined ones using GPEdit then even in Windows a local user cannot install programs.

 

[FilledVoid]

@exx_2000, just curious, from which part of Kerala you are ?

Near Tiruvalla.

I guess someone needs to make a new Pidgin based IM client which can work without making a profile first.

Seriously someone has to just do that. I can't believe no one has already .

@exx_200: There is nothing we can do without hardware knowledge. Windows is out of question, because of the ongoing raids and the owner's unwillingness to buy original software. So its no use going after saurav's idea about windows, IE7(sincearly I doubt it will run), and company. Kerala, along with cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, etc is technically advanced enough thesedays to use Linux, as many people in these places experiment with "geeky" stuff.

I will get those configurations as soon as possible. Its just that Ive been busy with some assignments that I cant get there when its not busy.

 

[Vivek788]

well...u can give ads for open source intiatives at the cafe`...tat wud promote the users to try out firefox and other OSS....banners,stickers etc can be provided...he can also order a few ubuntu cds for distribution to interested ppl...i wud suggest tat kinda campaign wud make most users to try out new softwares...also provide IEtab for firefox in case they are adamant...about IM and office suite....modifications are possible na..u can get some programmers to modify the user interface to make the profile creation luk like somethign very attractive...as part of the same ad campaign....hope u like this idea...

 

[gary4gar]

also provide IEtab for firefox

isn't IE tab only supported on windows version of FF?
one can install IE 6, if anyone needs that

 

[praka123]

ietab doesnot work in linux,infact where is IE in Linux though there is a chance by which ies4linux using wine running ie6/7 opens up the site if an extension is made

 

[Cyrus_the_virus]

I have been facing the similar dilema and after a lot of looking aroung and researching I have come to this conclusion.

The problem with IM clients is not just limited to Linux, it has the exact same problems in windows as well. The only difference is that in windows, they have the actual IM software for that service which makes it work the way you want to. But take any other AIO IM software whether it's windows or linux and the scenario is the same.

Trillian, Miranda, Pidgin etc all work in Windows, but it has the exact same problem of profiles. All these softwares work on a profile based system regardless of whether it's windows or Linux.

And also the voice and video capabilities are the exact same as in linux. The problem is that 3rd party IM manufacturers can't make the proper video and audio interfaces because of proprietary codecs used by Yahoo and Microsoft. So, this is not just a problem limited to Linux, you have the same issues in Windows as well. You don't notice it in windows because most of the times you end up using the original IMs like Yahoo messenger and MSN messenger.

If this situation needs to improve for linux, the open source community can do very little about it because of the proprietary issues. What needs to be done is that Microsoft and Yahoo needs to start developing their IM's to work on Linux. Yahoo has an outdated version already but I doubt if Microsoft is even going to bother or perhaps sue someone who might attempt to have a go at it. *gigasmilies.googlepages.com/23.gif

 

[Vivek788]

yeah understood the IEtab thing...

btw @Cyrus_the_virus...u r correct...commercial applications are being sacrificed at many fronts by sticking to open source...this situation has to change...like the coming of GUI and absence of viruses made linux more popular...the quality of OSS should be pushed up to allow more users to flock to it...