Re: [seul-edu] Cafeteria Software?

[Harry McGregor <micros@azstarnet.com>]

On Tue, 22 Aug 2000, Jacques Fortier wrote:

> Ryan,
> 	I have a few free days right now, and I'd be happy to whip up a
> quickie thingie for you.  What exactly are your requirements?  Do you just
> want something that will track balances?  If you need it, I can probably
> go a bit more complicated than that.  If you can give me a detailed list
> of requirements, and how you see the thing being used, I can probably get
> you something workable by Labour Day (and free support as long as I'm
> living!)
> 	The way I envision this, you'll have a Linux box with a bare-bones
> install that includes X, netscape, MySQL and php.  It would be set up so
> that when the user logs in, Netscape would be started up instead of the
> usual window manager.  The menu bars and suchlike would be hidden, so it
> would be nice and easy to use.  Clicking on an exit button in the webpage
> would tell netscape to shut itself down, which would then cause the X
> session to terminate, logging the user out.  With the frontend already
> coded (X, netscape, and xdm), and as Jeff said, the backend laughably easy
> to create, you'd have a customized, free system after very little work,
> most of it on my part.

I like the bare netscape session, though I would do it through GDM instead
of XDM, that way you can have multiple sessions (is an administraive one,
etc).  Also I would check into using the gecko engine instead of just
using netscape, to create an application at a later date.

Netscape does work well when launched as the sole application in X
windows, though you do have to specifiy your geometry.

MySQL and PHP sound like the best solution for the backend.  You might
even be able to setup a login for students to check on their balances, etc
from the computer lab, or the classroom.

> 	I'd be really glad to help you out with this. 
> 
> Jacques

			Harry