Re: Linux internet cafe

From: Sybren Stuvel (sybrenUSE_at_YOURthirdtower.imagination.com)
Date: 10/01/03 

Date: 01 Oct 2003 08:37:56 GMT

ext2box enlightened us with:
> I've come up with a list of features that would be nice to have. (Wish list)

Please do NOT add a Reply-To header. You will only get spam this way,
and annoy Usenet posters. And please stop top-posting.

> 1.Administration over the Internet via web browser.

That's not a problem.

> 2.MySQL database to store customers prepaid account balance.

Sounds logical.

> 3.Customers can reserve time slots for PC's via the web.

Good idea.

The above can all be done with a bit of PHP and a MySQL database.

> 4.Billing rate will very based on the combination of hardware and
> the type of software installed on the PC.

You'd have to make a database of all machines and their rates, and use
the MAC address for instance to identify a machine. I think you can
use squid to use an external program for various stuff, and implement
it in there. You can also write a separate daemon that uses iptables
to block the network traffic from that machine once it's credit runs
out.

> 5.Time left in account notification via pop up to warn customer to
> log out or add funds before the prepaid account is depleted.

SMB message popups would be best suited for this I guess.

> 6.Customers will receive free PC time credits for Cafe food & drink
> purchases. The credit earned on purchases will be stored in the
> MySQL user database.

Nice idea! It would be hard to automate that, though, unless you're
using a PC-based counter.

> 7.Billing rate will very based on time of day Example: we can offer
> a happy hour at half price that will occur during certain time of
> day.

That shouldn't be a problem.

> 8.Control the amount of band width available based on type of user
> account. Example: We can reward regular users with extra band width
> for downloading.

With QOS that shouldn't be a problem at all.

> 9.Disk quotas based on type of account. Example: we can provide
> extra disk space for storage.

The UNIX 'quota' command should be sufficient for that.

> 10. Smart card reader for quick login.

I never used that...

> 11. The ability to add funds to users accounts from the Internet.

Then you'd have to accept creditcard payments over the 'net. I've done
that, and it's easier than you think :)

> 12. Free intranet terminal located inside cafe for reserving
> workstation time slots adding funds to accounts.

That would be a machine that just has access to the website you talk
about in 11.

> 13. I would like users to be able to use the KDE desktop and
> applications that do not pose a security risk to the Cafe or its
> users.

No problem.

Sybren 

-- 
The problem with the world is stupidity. Not saying there should be a
capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the
safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?

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