Help: Computer related

screenmachine · June 22, 2009, 11:29:59 AM

Right. The boss has asked me to research setting up an independent station in our showroom which allows customers to access our webpage and search for various prodcuts which may or may not be in the showroom. Basically, the idea is to have a flatscreen situated on a wall with maybe a mouse and keyboard allowing users to access our website only. Has anyone any experience of this type of station set up or know any websites which can point me in the right direction?
I tried googling this but couldn't squash it all into a logical one line querie. Any help would be great, thanks!

Mhic Easmuint · June 22, 2009, 11:35:33 AM

Cheapest option would just be a PC which could be locked down just to access that page.

Otherwise try searching for internet kiosk or web kiosk.

ziggysego · June 22, 2009, 11:36:24 AM

Top of the head would be tMinimize, Maximize, Close buttons and removed the said icons.

lynchbhoy · June 22, 2009, 11:38:34 AM

Quote from: screenmachine on June 22, 2009, 11:29:59 AM
Right. The boss has asked me to research setting up an independent station in our showroom which allows customers to access our webpage and search for various prodcuts which may or may not be in the showroom. Basically, the idea is to have a flatscreen situated on a wall with maybe a mouse and keyboard allowing users to access our website only. Has anyone any experience of this type of station set up or know any websites which can point me in the right direction?
I tried googling this but couldn't squash it all into a logical one line querie. Any help would be great, thanks!

are these 'other products' your own or do you need to link to other third party vendor websites to look as their stuff that you use?
If the answer is no and you use completely all your own stuff then you dont need an internet connection.
A simple IIS webserver that contains all your company info, history and then the products etc etc can be set up so they can view, then print etc.
the IIS server and content can be set up on a PC (shouldnt need a server but a lower end one would be pref) that can be remotely accessed by wireless mouse & keyboard.
A Monitor/LCD can be wired up to this and installed on any wall etc.

PM me if you want to discuss or need more ideas etc

screenmachine · June 22, 2009, 11:46:36 AM

Thanks lads.
LB, most of our stuff comes from suppliers but we have it all entered into our own website/database already so would it not be as handy to just have a link to our own site so that customers could search for their desired products in the showroom?
Does anyone know of any local companies that provide solutions like this or would you be as handy buying the stuff in yourself?
Cheers again lads!

offtheground · June 22, 2009, 12:05:51 PM

Screen,
There's a crowd in Clane, Co.Kildare called icetech kiosks that do that kind of work, might be worth a shout..

Orior · June 22, 2009, 12:08:18 PM

Sounds cheaper to do it yourself. Are there simple products to:

1) lock down the PC?
2) manage whitelist/blacklist websites or can you do it all in IE or Firefox?

Mhic Easmuint · June 22, 2009, 12:13:16 PM

Quote from: Orior on June 22, 2009, 12:08:18 PM
Sounds cheaper to do it yourself. Are there simple products to:

1) lock down the PC?
2) manage whitelist/blacklist websites or can you do it all in IE or Firefox?

Google will get you instructions on how to do both.
IE can be restricted to certain websites with Content Advisor. To access others it would require a password.

screenmachine · June 22, 2009, 12:15:57 PM

It does seem like a cheaper solution to do it yourself although I'm only researching at the minute so the more ideas the merrier really.
I've seen a few sites online which seem to indicate that I can get a web-browser onto the start up applications of the PC and then have the startup page set to our website. Hopefully there is a simple enough way to make the bowser lock into full screen mode and perhaps configure a password which needs to be entered if the user tries to exit the browser.

Stalin · June 22, 2009, 01:25:06 PM

you tried turning it on and off?

lynchbhoy · June 22, 2009, 01:37:55 PM

Quote from: screenmachine on June 22, 2009, 11:46:36 AM
Thanks lads.
LB, most of our stuff comes from suppliers but we have it all entered into our own website/database already so would it not be as handy to just have a link to our own site so that customers could search for their desired products in the showroom?
Does anyone know of any local companies that provide solutions like this or would you be as handy buying the stuff in yourself?
Cheers again lads!

it all depends on what you are willing to spend and what you are looking for exactly.

options
1. Is it a stand alone system that you want for customers that come into the showroom
1.b. you want them to be able to get outside to external websites (linked from within your system) - therefore will need internet/broadband connectivity
2. Do you want also a website for people to see what you can offer..as well as the intranet version of either or both 1 and 1b

ardmhachaabu · June 22, 2009, 08:51:45 PM

Quote from: Mhic Easmuint on June 22, 2009, 12:13:16 PM
Quote from: Orior on June 22, 2009, 12:08:18 PM
Sounds cheaper to do it yourself. Are there simple products to:

1) lock down the PC?
2) manage whitelist/blacklist websites or can you do it all in IE or Firefox?

Google will get you instructions on how to do both.
IE can be restricted to certain websites with Content Advisor. To access others it would require a password.

That's a line I should use more often