Options other than Smartlaunch

[RsteeleAUG]

Looking for other options on the cyber cafe management software front. Lots of choices out there but still looking.

http://www.handycafe.com/features.php - looks like a glorified egg timer with no license management options. (FREE)

http://www.antamediacafe.com/ - been mentioned on SALC before doesn't look too different from SL. Price estimator on their website. (10 PC's would be around $600 unlimited at $999)

http://www.cyberleader.net/cafe/ - Looks like they have a shell that appears to be the desktop but isn't and only allows access to whatever the admin allows. Price estimator on their website. (10 PC's is $200)

http://cafecop.nliventech.com/features.htm - Similar to the other cheap/free management programs. Only $100 for 10 stations. Lots of options/features.

http://www.dynasoft.net/cybercafe_surfshop_software/features.html - Lots of features but the text on their website is sort of hard on my eyes. I'll be trying it out with in the next week or so.
http://www.dynasoft.net/cybercafe_surfshop_software/slideshow9c.html it appears that DYNASOFT SurfShop has licenses management as well...


I'm still looking and will update this post with other software as I find it. I'm doing this search for myself we really just want something simple with a point of sale that will save customer info and allow us to keep doing business as we have been. Of course security and being able to lock customers out of important or vital systems is a huge concern. Licenses management is a concern but as long as the customer can launch games and it works at less cost than $600 a year we'll entertain the idea of it.
Thanks Sucklaunch.

[RsteeleAUG]

So far I like CyberLeader the best. It's not too bad on cost and the interface/ way to make the programs available looks similar to SL. Would still want a way to launch steam games but looks like it would keep everything else the same if not make it easier.

[johnlarson]

What are the upsides and downsides to antamediacafe?  I am in online chat with them, they say they can convert SL data bases for you via email.  No import option.

[RsteeleAUG]

Not sure what the pro's and con's of that one are yet. I'm going to start downloading trial versions tomorrow morning and testing things out to see what the limitations are on each of these programs.

One good thing is that Antamedia appears to have license management. Price would be the only thing I see they are a bit higher than the other options I've looked at so far. (But of course they have the licensing management so this one may be the way to go)  It's $508 for up to 30 clients. We only have 10 but it wouldn't hurt for us to have room to grow a little. I think I'll try the trial in the morning to see what I can make work with it.

[Alomax]

I'm talking with Gordo about his proprietary system, I'll post more information once I have it.  I don't think it even has a name.

[RsteeleAUG]

Gord's Proprietary System or GPS do I get a cut if he uses that?

On a serious note let us know more when you do. We're doing something by the end of the month...just not sure what yet.

[Alomax]

I should have more information in the next few days. I know he's at a point where he's ready to roll the software out to other LAN's, the question then becomes what blows up when it gets put into someone else's systems. So there's probably some bug fixing to do still, but should be fairly smooth.

[RsteeleAUG]

Starting to test and this is already going to be a pain in the ass. Changing from one interface to another is easy once I get the hang of the way one works then I have to learn a new system all over.

CAFELEADER and HANDYCAFE are the two I've spent a little time on and I'm downloading Antamedia now.

Antamedia seems to be the closest to SL. However it's also the most expensive of the software's that I've found. If it launches all (or most) of our current titles well enough this may be the software we go with.

Over the next few days I'm going to get a client PC loaded up with one of these at a time and see if we can start launching games, checking out the timer, user interface, and other features work.

[RsteeleAUG]

Checking out TRUECAFE as well. True Cafe seems to be pretty complete. I'm taking my time with this choice. I'll have to try to launch games using these demo/trial versions the one that works the best is what we plan to use.

[johnlarson]

People seem to like this:  http://www.cybercafepro.com/

[RsteeleAUG]

Trying to download the server side of CCP. It wants me to open a specific port so it can backup something...hahah woo!!! This fiasco of changing over to a new system is going to cause a headache...

[RsteeleAUG]

Trying to install CCP and it keeps telling me to open port 15346. I did everything I could to open the port, disabled the firewall to see if that would help, and still I got nothing. Shew Smartlauch is not making my life any easier...I got another couple of weeks to figure something out I guess.

[RsteeleAUG]

From what I've tried out so far TrueCafe is what I'm considering. The paths work almost the same way as SL which makes steam pretty simple to use.
I'm still studying all of the online how to guides featured on their website but it looks like it allows Admins to disable all Windows Desktop access and only allow access to the games or programs you want customers to have access to.

It's going to be a stressful next couple of weeks...F - SL in the A...

EDIT:

Got TRUECAFE launching STEAM games no problem. Now it's giving me fits when it comes to FREE to PLAY games like LOL or MMO's like WOW because it searches for CD key's to launch the game. First of all these games don't have CD KEYS because they are just clients that ask the user to log into their own accounts upon start up. I've emailed their tech support so here's to hoping their better at responding than that "SL" bunch. I guess after a year and a half if this is the largest obstacle we have to over come then we are doing ok...doesn't make it any less of a pain.

[MrFurious]

A)  Figuring out what SALC meant took way too much time.

B)  I had no trouble setting up Truecafe to run normal "cdkeyless" games like WoW if the cdkey dropdown is left blank.  The main sticking points for me are the lack of pricing options you either have to make several pricing packages (Daypass (Monday), Daypass (Tuesday), and keep switching manually)  or just stick to hourly rates with discounts at various times.  It also charges by session.  So even if you setup first hour $3, 2 hours $5, 5 hours $9... the instant they hit the logout button, the current session ends, pricing restarts from $3 an hour (however, you can disable the logout button and manually move them from terminal to terminal, etc)  I guess in reality if you disable logout and end sessions manually, you can effect a daypass by setting up pricing to max out your daypass.

Also, Truecafe client doesn't replace the taskbar, you can hide it and the desktop but then you can't see anything...  So you would have to come up with some idea on a replacement taskbar and systray (i personally need to hide a few tray icons for my best setup).

[Deeds]

A)  Figuring out what SALC meant took way too much time.

B)  I had no trouble setting up Truecafe to run normal "cdkeyless" games like WoW if the cdkey dropdown is left blank.  The main sticking points for me are the lack of pricing options you either have to make several pricing packages (Daypass (Monday), Daypass (Tuesday), and keep switching manually)  or just stick to hourly rates with discounts at various times.  It also charges by session.  So even if you setup first hour $3, 2 hours $5, 5 hours $9... the instant they hit the logout button, the current session ends, pricing restarts from $3 an hour (however, you can disable the logout button and manually move them from terminal to terminal, etc)  I guess in reality if you disable logout and end sessions manually, you can effect a daypass by setting up pricing to max out your daypass.

Also, Truecafe client doesn't replace the taskbar, you can hide it and the desktop but then you can't see anything...  So you would have to come up with some idea on a replacement taskbar and systray (i personally need to hide a few tray icons for my best setup).

SALC = Start A Lan Center,  any suggestions to make that easier to pick up?

-deeds