Are any hostels running Linux? I've heard that Floyd's Hostel in Florida is running Ubuntu Linux on their guest computers.
The advantage of Linux (besides being 100% free) is that it's easy to lock down for Internet kiosk stations. Linux does not get spyware or viruses.
Here are some Linux-related resources for setting up public Internet access:
14 years
As far as I know we at www.hosteloffice.com are the only PMS providers that can provide Linux users with a software solution to integrate with the main booking agents to automate the management of Bookings, Prices, and Allocations, completely two way integration.
That would have been nice to know, however I contacted your customer service via skype months ago and got no response and thus went with a different web based PMS system. Works great on any machine even my iphone.
14 years
Its hard to believe that you could not get through to me on skype - dean.hostel.office - as I am online everyday bar the rare occassion and I have not taken a holiday ever from being contactable 7 days a week all year. So it is definitely a pain for both of us if you could not get through.
Often I receive requests to accept a Skype connection, which I do, and then no message comes from the person I accepted a connection with.
13 years
i recently setup chromiumOS on the guest computers at the Green Tortoise in Seattle. chromiumOS is the open source version of Googles upcoming computer, chromeOS. i had used Ubuntu in the past, and Ubuntu is the easiest Linux out there btw, but I still had massive issues with people moving icons, rearranging things and always changing the desktop background to their artwork of choice.
chromiumOS provides a true kiosk style 'guest' login that uses the chromium browsers 'Incognito' mode which does not save any history, usernames or passwords while also clearing the cache with each logout. because chromiumOS is nothing more than a web browser there really isn't anything to rearrange or move around, its just a connection to the web right after boot up. with its core built around Linux it also is unaffected by viruses, spyware and all the other nasties on the internet.
if you want to get chromiumOS running on your guest computers it is not exactly easy since it is still being built but it is alot of fun to see the future of computers while also giving your guests a simple and easy way to access the internet. here are the instructions I used and what should also work for you:
1. download the latest USB version of chromiumOS here
2. get the downloaded image onto a 4gb or bigger USB stick (instruction links below)
3. boot the guest computer from the USB stick
4. if you get a chromiumOS logo and then a setup dialogue, keep going to step #5
4a. if you DO NOT see a chromiumOS logo then your hardware does not work with chromiumOS, try again in a few weeks, pull the USB and reboot, nothing was changed on your computer.
5. you will need to login with a gmail the first time, after that you can login as guest. i setup a simple gmail just for the Green Tortoise for that first login.
at this point you have a working chromiumOS computer, and the entire operating system is running from the USB stick, your guest computer harddrive has not been touched at all. if you go forward and follow the installation direction below, it will completely and fully delete, erase, wipe clean your guest computer and install chromiumOS as your new operating system. i am being very literal here so you understand that you are installing a new operating system and everything and anything on the computer before you booted into the USB will be gone forever!!
test drive chromiumOS and if you like it, you can install it by following this:
1. hold 'ctrl' + 'alt' + 't'
2. type 'shell' and hit enter
3. type 'sudo chromeos-install' and enter the password 'facepunch'
4. it will wipe your current harddrive clean and install chromiumOS in about 3 minutes
5. reboot and your done, let the guests browse the nets!!
* id be glad to offer any help i can, reply to this thread or hit me up on twitter - e30chris
* you will need to occasionally need to update chromiumOS. the version out now does not auto-update but eventually it should, once its finished and shipped.
* here is the link to get the chromiumOS image you downloaded onto the USB drive
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