Let's help this guy to keep his Ubuntu workstations

[calande]

Look at this: http://digg.com/linux_unix/Cyber_Cafe_with_Ubuntu_Computers_Turns_a_Flop

I hope he doesn't install Windows instead of Ubuntu for his Cybercafé :(

Maybe he could take advantage of the situation and give free Ubuntu training :)

[shearn89]

Geez - check out some of the comments on the digg! brutal...
The guy sounds really down - the virus thing is a good point, and i think his customers are being a bit stupid.
I think he should go with the KDE route: just hide the desktop switcher, and put a massive icon on the desktop saying "INTERNET" and he should be fine. He could also put a link to webmessenger if people don't want to use gaim. Or he could install amsn....

[a12ctic]

I would tell him to change all the screens to say "Longharn" or something like that, then use the XP icewm looking theme, theyll never figure it out, especialy silly teenage girls.

[calande]

Yes, I think instalingl a sort of XP theme would do. A few minutes introducing Ubuntu should be enough also.

[Warpnow]

I suggested he dual boot.

[shearn89]

but then he'd still have the virus trouble. The point is, users should be able to follow a set of simple instructions like "click this massive icon saying internet here", while he can still have a more secure and stable network.

[dca]

His only option is to remove the Windows install he currently has and replace that w/ Ubuntu as well... After that, tweak all the desktops to look lik OSX by tweaking the top bar and making the bottom look like Leopard w/ the bottom icon bar dealie.

Other than that, getting a bunch of MS Win licenses alone is worthless. He'd also need Server 2003, CALs for however many workstations he has so that we he can better manage. That's a lot of schmeckels. Almost a waste...

Maybe he lives in Microsoftville, that's why everyone inquires???

[Warpnow]

His customers want windows, he should give it to them.

The open source community wont advance by shoving itself down people's throats.

[blah blah blah]

His customers want windows, he should give it to them.

The open source community wont advance by shoving itself down people's throats.

fo serious

[super breadfish]

Why doesn't he just educate his customers? Stick some posters up, explain about free software. Linux etc when customers ask where Windows is.
Trying to trick them is completely the wrong thing to do. What d you when people start realising "Windows" isn't acting like the Windows they have at home...

Cafe - "Well we use Linux"
Customer - "Eh? What's that"
Cafe - "An alternative operating system that we use instead of Windows"
Customer - "But it all looks like Windows...."

What a nightmare that would be.

if he just told people up straight he doesn't use Windows because of spyware/viruses/slowness/buggy code/lack of privacy I'm sure people would understand. Who knows, he might even end up giving a few live CDs out ;)
It's an ideal way to promote Linux and free software in general. Plus it would make him seem like a nice, friendly guy and not a corporate robot which is always good for business.

[smoker]

he should advertise it as a 'windows free internet cafe' or a 'linux internet cafe', that way no one should expect windows so shouldn't be disappointed. perhaps new users could be given 15min free, or something, to see if they can use it (which will be easy to anyone with a modicum of commonsense). also, making a point of not having windows as a selling point may attract users who wouldn't risk windows!

[shearn89]

perhaps new users could be given 15min free, or something, to see if they can use it (which will be easy to anyone with a modicum of commonsense).

quite a good idea - i still think it wouldn't be that taxing for people to follow a few icons on the desktop.

[spockrock]

why not dual boot, and have 'guest' accounts on each, where on windows they are not admins, and on ubuntu they do not have access to root via sudo??

If the customers want windows give them that option.

[shearn89]

i think his main issue is all the viruses, and that fact that he know can't get an OEM license, so he's going to be forking out a lot of money...

[Lord Illidan]

I think he should get a windows theme, and put a lot of icons on the desktop. Also, a few leaflets should be handy. Oh, and use KDE. It's menu is far more similar to XP's menu.

That way, he'll be giving the customers a better experience. You can't blame the customers, most of them have never heard of Linux, probably.

Oh, and I'd keep 1/2 windows, 1/2 linux.

Oh, and as regards to digg...most of the "community" are immature teenagers. I've never seen so much trolling elsewhere.

[EdThaSlayer]

The guy should have chosen Kubuntu to start with. Also, having huge icons on the desktop that say "browser", "instant messenger", and "game shortcuts" would have been quite a smart idea.

[smiggs]

In all cybercafes I've visited they have used a custom GUI on top of Windows sometimes disguising Windows entirely, I've never come across a non-Windows cyber cafe but I don't think the look and feel should really be a problem per se. He needs to be clever with the deployment of apps, most people entering his cafe will be looking for Internet access so Firefox should load at startup, he should do his best to hide the nuts and bolts of the OS removing the menus and simply have quickstart options or perhaps remove the menus entirely and have the applications launched from the the browser.

Frankly though the guy who implemented this has done a poor job, when you implement open source it should be done so it provides the user with a far better experience. Gnome and KDE both provide you with the facility to significantly simplify the menu structure of the computers and it appears here that they haven't done that at all.

[shearn89]

Frankly though the guy who implemented this has done a poor job, when you implement open source it should be done so it provides the user with a far better experience. Gnome and KDE both provide you with the facility to significantly simplify the menu structure of the computers and it appears here that they haven't done that at all.

A really good point - IMHO its this sort of poor planning that partly contributes to people being put off Linux...

[DM was on fire!]

If someone wants Linux, they should have Linux.
If someone wants to run Windows, they should have Windows.

The best way to do it is either a dual boot (as mentioned) or a Trios. I've actually got a Trios in my machine, one is a Ubuntu 6.06 disk, and the other is Windows ME.

[dkaddict]

Interesting. People who have, knowingly, only ever used Windows are always going to be fearful when presented with an Open Source OS. I have intelligent friends who are too scared to put the live cds I have given them in their cd rom drives and they are at home with plenty of time to learn how to use Ubuntu. It would surprise me a lot if a person who has only ever been exposed to Windows and who only uses comps to surf the web, send e-mails, and other such simple tasks would stay for longer than 5 mins in an internet cafe that only ran Linux on its comps. Trying to skin Ubuntu to look and feel like XP is the only suggestion that has hitherto seemed viable in this thread.

At the end of the day, the bloke opened his cafe because he wants to earn some money. Raising awareness around Ubuntu and Open Source software has, I feel, to be done in a 'free' environment, not in a cafe which charges by the minute for people to use the machines. If I was faced with a totally alien environment in an internet cafe, I would walk out before it cost me a fortune trying to figure out how to use it.

harsh, but true, I fear.

[MonkeyBoy]

Yeah this is just really poor implementation. The idea of a Linux only cybercafe is sound but only if you have a plan for how to set your machines up. I can well understand that people who are paying for a short use of a PC really don't want to be faced by a default Gnome desktop that they have never seen before. But, as many posts have said, there is plenty of potential for making a simple and obvious custom desktop layout which doesn't bewilder anyone.

The guy is a bit of a fool to cut costs in this way without looking into how his machines are going to work afterwards. And his IT guy should know better than to ditch him in that kind of fix. I have met Linux zealots before now who would do that kind of thing and it just gives the whole community a bad name.

[Lux Perpetua]

A really good point - IMHO its this sort of poor planning that partly contributes to people being put off Linux...More likely, it's the result of misguided Linux advocacy. In the original thread on LinuxQuestions, you'll see that the cafe manager is new to Linux and was persuaded to use Linux by someone believed to be "tech-savvy." Now he's in a dilemma: either put in the effort and promote Ubuntu (which he's unfamiliar with, so he'd have to learn about it himself first) or pay the penalty and buy Windows, which isn't cheap, since the hardware has been bought already.

[raul_]

Why not print huge A4 flyers explaining how to use the basic in Ubuntu?

Something like:

INTERNET CLICK HERE

MESSENGER CLICK HERE

OFFICE CLICK HERE

[mart007]

quite a good idea - i still think it wouldn't be that taxing for people to follow a few icons on the desktop.

It's not at all - my missus has no problems using Ubuntu on my ancient Dell c610....

[creolbuay]

What I would do is search on line for a local LUG and offer them a night in the week when they can host their meetings and ask if they would be willing to offer some basic assistance in getting the machines setup properly as well as offer the cafe after hours for basic Linux classes to the patrons of the cafe...

If I were experienced enough and in his vicinity I would be willing enough to offer... We keep talking about how to best bring Linux into the mainstream and we keep talking about making it look like windows or another os. If that's the case why not just tell people to forget about developing anything other than linspire or whatever makes you feel macish.

Just my two cents...

[Dropbear]

Someone should create something like "Cafubuntu" An Ubuntu derivative for cybercafes. \\:D/

Having Ubuntu on 2 computers with windows on the rest would have been a more sound practice. The reality is most people who use cybercafes only know windows and expect it when they pay for their time. They really don't want to be confronted with an unfamiliar desktop when all they want to do is check their email, chat on msn or surf the net.
It'd be fantastic to see Ubuntu become popular in this area and with the right approach I believe it can be. Promoting Ubuntu with say a one off free 10 min tutorial would be an incentive to get people to try it out.