The LiveCD Forums

Hi,

About a year ago I came up with the idea of preparing a Linux CD to be used to convert a PC into an Internet station. For example, the owner of a small hotel may wish to put a PC in the lobby and generate revenue from it.

I've worked out a very good business model so that the Linux CD developer can make money out of it as well as the business owner. There's a real opportunity to get Linux out into the masses and generate revenue at the same time.

I fired the idea at the Mandrake Move guys last year and I got some initial interest. However, I don't think the idea really fitted in with their plan and they went quiet.

Please check out this link for a brief summary of the idea.
http://emobus.fastmail.fm/InternetCafe.pdf

I've got much more detail prepared. Anyone interested? I'd love to hear from you.

Regards,
Dave Boden

Hi
Perhaps your idea is suitable for developing countries with slow, expensive Internet, or Knoppix Games distro.

This year Intel will release WIMAX Wireless Internet chipset for PC (70 MBPS, 30 KM).
Other PDA vendors will support this new standard.
Cellphone 3G can reach 300 Kbps (rather expensive).
Most Internet cafes in my country are transformed into Game Centres.

I definitely agree with some of your points.

WIMAX looks like a great technology for developed cities. I'm looking forward to a few of those networks being rolled out into the Royal Parks in London so that I can enjoy an ice cream while surfing / working. Mobile phone companies should be shaking in their boots at the thought!

3G is indeed very expensive.

I've never seen the attraction of PDAs, personally.

The market that I'm thinking of is really the holiday market. I've been on countless European holidays to Greece / Spain. There is a big demand for Internet cafes. Holidaymakers don't take their laptops with them and log onto WiFi networks! ) They just want to check their email for £1 once in a while.

I was lucky enough to go skiing in Andorra a couple of years ago. I stayed in a small hotel with a few families in it. The bar was always full, with plenty of bored kids in there too. There were only 2 small Internet cafes in the whole resort, both of which were always full.

If each hotel had an Internet access point for holidaymakers to use, I thought, it would be very much in demand.

I hope that's put the idea in a bit more context. Thanks very much for your feedback.