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| Newer page: | version 3 | Last edited on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 10:08:40 am | by AristotlePagaltzis | |
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-
-
-Kiosk HOWTO <author >Gene Wilburn, ITS Dept, Royal Ontario
-
-
-
-----
-
-!!!Kiosk HOWTO
-
-!!Gene Wilburn, ITS Dept, Royal Ontario
-Museum <genew@rom.on.ca>v1., October 1999
-
-
-----
-''This document provides a guide for setting up a WWW-based kiosk using
-Linux, X11R6, FVWM2, Netscape Navigator 4.X, and a customized
-trackball. It outlines the methods that were used to create a public
-kiosk for the ''Hands On Biodiversity Gallery'' at the Royal
-Ontario Museum, Toronto.''
-----
-
-
-
-
-!!1. Introduction
-
-
-*1.1 Copyright, license and terms of usage
-
-*1.2 Acknowledgements
-
-
-
-
-
-!!2. Overview
-
-
-
-
-!!3. Building a Kiosk Environment
-
-
-*3.1 FVWM2
-
-*3.2 Netscape Navigator
-
-*3.3 Overlay Masks for Navigator
-
-*3.4 /root/kiosk.xinitrc
-
-*3.5 /root/xkiosk
-
-
-
-
-
-!!4. Initializing the Kiosk
-
-
-*4.1 /etc/inittab modifications
-
-*4.2 /etc/rc.d/rc.4/S99xkiosk runlevel script
-
-*4.3 Booting normally from the console
-
-
-
-
-
-!!5. Other Considerations
-
-
-*5.1 Screensavers
-
-*5.2 Sound Files
-
-*5.3 Trackballs
-
-*5.4 Designing or modifying HTML pages for kiosks
-
-
-
-
-
-!!6. Future Directions
-
-
-*6.1 Remote Kiosks
-
-*6.2 Touchscreens
-
-*6.3 Keyboards
-
-*6.4 Collaboration
-
-----
-
-!!1. Introduction
-
-
-Information display kiosks are useful in libraries, galleries and
-museums, educational institutions, municipal offices, visitor
-information booths, conferences, shopping malls, airports---in short
-any location where simple, easy access to information is
-desirable. Kiosks are normally set up with touchscreens or pointing
-devices such as trackballs, to allow people to select and view
-information that is attractively displayed and up to date.
-
-
-There are many ways to create kiosks, from expensive solutions based
-on proprietary software to HTML-based open-source
-solutions. Browser-based technologies are particularly attractive
-because they are inherently multimedia, offering text, graphics, sound
-and streaming media, and the content is highly portable.
-
-
-Linux provides a flexible and interesting platform for kiosk
-development. Linux is inexpensive to set up and it offers a wide range
-of options, from diskless display stations to self-contained,
-database-driven web servers. Due to the versatility of the underlying
-operating system, a well-designed Linux kiosk can be placed in a
-remote location and administered via a telephone or network link.
-
-
-This HOWTO explores one method of setting up Linux as a standalone
-information kiosk, using Netscape Navigator 4.X and FVWM2 on a Red Hat
-Linux 6.X system. It is based on a kiosk I set up for use in the
-''Hands-on Biodiversity Gallery'' in the Royal Ontario Museum
-(
-http://www.rom.on.ca), Toronto, Canada. The kiosk
-outlined in this HOWTO incorporates a trackball rather than a more
-expensive touchscreen. There are undoubtedly many other ways to create
-a Linux-based kiosk, but this one has worked reliably for us and it
-may provide a useful starting point for your own kiosk project.
-
-
-
-
-!!1.1 Copyright, license and terms of usage
-
-
-
-Copyright Gene Wilburn 1999. All rights reserved.
-
-
-''The author disclaims all warranties with regard to this
-document, including all implied warranties of merchantability and
-fitness for a certain purpose; in no event shall the author be liable
-for any special, indirect or consequential damages or any damages
-whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, whether in
-an action of contract, negligence or other tortuous action, arising
-out of or in connection with the use of this document.''
-
-
-This legalese means ''use at your own risk''.
-
-
-
-
-!!1.2 Acknowledgements
-
-
-
-Our Linux kiosk derives heavily from the work done by the City of
-Charlotte, North Carolina, for their municipal website,
-''Charlotte's Web'' (see
-http://www.charweb.org/webinfo/kiosk/). The Charlotte's Web
-kiosk project, which employs a touchscreen monitor, was set up in 1996
-using an early version of Slackware Linux, Netscape Navigator 2.X, and
-FVWM. The webmasters at Charlotte have created a very useable kiosk
-implementation and have shared their complete setup via their
-website. This HOWTO, to a certain degree, represents an update of
-their work, altering the details to work with Red Hat 6.X, Netscape
-Navigator 4.X, FVWM2, and a custom-made trackball.
-
-
-I worked with Debra Luneau (debral@rom.on.ca), the Royal Ontario
-Museum webmaster, to create the graphics overlays for Netscape. The
-examples we distribute at our ftp site are her work---and are the ones
-we use on the kiosk in the Biodiversity Gallery.
-
-
-The Ontario Biodiversity section of the ROM website was designed by
-Hopscotch Interactive (www.hopscotch.ca). The original application was
-converted from a flat-file database system to a MySQL-database driven
-system by Gord Howells (gordonh@rom.on.ca), the ROM's database
-designer and programmer. The non-kiosk version of this mini-site may
-be viewed at
-http://www.rom.on.ca/ontario/.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-----
-
-!!2. Overview
-
-
-Setting up Linux for use as a web-based kiosk is similar to setting up
-Linux as a graphical workstaion, with a few extra considerations. If
-the machine is to be a standalone unit, it must boot straight into
-kiosk mode. Furthermore, the browser environment must be modified in
-to disable standard dialog screens and to eliminate parts of the
-browser that allow inappropriate interaction, such as the Location Bar
-in Netscape.
-
-
-Essentially a kiosk website is self-contained. Users navigate through
-the site via clicks with a pointing device. The pointing device can be
-a touchscreen, a trackball, or a mouse. Mice are difficult to secure
-in a public area.
-
-
-A Linux kiosk can be connected back to a home site via a direct
-network or PPP link, requesting pages from the home site, or it can be
-a self-contained website, running Apache and any corresponding CGI
-modules.
-
-
-
-----
-
-!!3. Building a Kiosk Environment
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-!!3.1 FVWM2
-
-
-
-FVWM2 (FVWM, version 2 -- www.fvwm.org) is a flexible, reliable, and
-lightweight X Window manager that provides excellent configurability
-for creating a kiosk environment. For kiosk use you must change some
-of its default settings. You need to modify the system.fvwm2rc file to
-remove things like virtual desktops, title bars, exit controls, etc,
-leaving a relatively minimalist FVWM environment. Because the kiosk is
-a standalone unit, modifying the system-wide settings does not present
-a problem.
-
-
-You can also take advantage of FVWM's settable object properties to
-use X Window bitmaps (xpm files) to mask the parts of Netscape
-Navigator you don't want users to access.
-
-
-The FVWM2 file you need to modify is
-/etc/X11/fvwm2/system.fvwm2rc. (If you use a different distribution
-than Red Hat, this file may be located elsewhere.) You may have to
-poke around in this file to find the sections listed below.
-
-
-
-
-!/etc/X11/fvwm2/system.fvwm2rc
-
-
-In /etc/X11/fvwm2/system.fvwm2rc change
-
-
-
-
-
-!DeskTopSize 2X2
-
-
-
-
-to
-
-
-
-
-
-!DeskTopSize 1X1
-
-
-
-
-This eliminates the virtual desktops.
-
-
-Next, in the Default Styles section, change
-
-
-
-
-
-Style "*" !BorderWidth 7, !HandleWidth 7
-
-
-
-
-to
-
-
-
-
-
-Style "*" !BorderWidth , !HandleWidth , notitle, nohandles
-
-
-
-
-This will disable most of the normal windowing controls.
-
-
-Add the following two lines to the Default Styles section:
-
-
-
-
-
-Style "xdaliclock" !StaysOnTop
-Style "sxpm" !StaysOnTop
-
-
-
-
-The Default Styles part of the file should look something like this
-when you finish:
-
-
-
-
-
-# default Styles:
-#Style "*" !BorderWidth 7, !HandleWidth 7
-Style "*" !BorderWidth , !HandleWidth , notitle, nohandles
-Style "*" Icon unknown1.xpm, Color lightgrey/dimgrey
-Style "*" MWMFunctions, MWMDecor, !HintOverride
-Style "*" !DecorateTransient, NoPPosition
-Style "*" !IconBox 0 -10 -280 -1
-Style "*" !FocusFollowsMouse
-Style "*" !RandomPlacement, !SmartPlacement
-Style "xdaliclock" !StaysOnTop
-Style "sxpm" !StaysOnTop
-
-
-
-
-You can use the xdaliclock and sxpm programs to cover up parts of
-Netscape Navigator. The ``!StaysOnTop'' attribute is the active
-ingredient.
-
-
-Next, find the following four lines and comment them out as shown:
-
-
-
-
-
-#!AddToFunc !InitFunction "I" Module !FvwmButtons
-#+ "I" exec xsetroot -mod 2 2 -fg \#554055 -bg \#705070
-#!AddToFunc !RestartFunction "I" Module !FvwmButtons
-#+ "I" exec xsetroot -mod 2 2 -fg \#554055 -bg \#705070
-
-
-
-
-Commenting out these lines will eliminate the nice task launcher from
-FVWM2, which is okay because you're after as simple an environment as
-you can create.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-!!3.2 Netscape Navigator
-
-
-
-Netscape Navigator is a better choice for setting up a kiosk than
-Netscape Communicator. Being simpler, there are fewer objects to hide.
-
-
-Under Microsoft Windows, Netscape Navigator has a kiosk mode that
-eliminates most of the Navigator controls but there is, at the time of
-this writing, no built-in kiosk mode for the Unix version of
-Navigator.
-
-
-The Unix version can, however, be invoked with a -geometry
-argument that allows us to always start Netscape full screen. This
-forms part of our strategy for a Netscape-based kiosk.
-
-
-You need to decide on our kiosk screen resolution. Using a 19- or
-20-inch monitor, we found 640x480 too large, 1024x768 too small, and
-800x600 just about right for public viewing (you may decide
-differently). Once you decide on the resolution, you are ready to
-begin adjusting Navigator. For the rest of this HOWTO we assume
-800x600 resolution. You'll need to adjust accordingly if you select a
-different resolution.
-
-
-''Note:'' Navigator is going to be invoked by root during bootup,
-so make all of the Netscape adjustments under the root account in the
-/root/.netscape directory.
-
-
-Invoke Netscape and click into the Edit, Preferences
-dialog. Under Appearance check ``Show Toolbar as Text Only.''
-Under Appearance, Fonts adjust both fixed- and variable-width
-fonts to at least 14pt or the screen display will be too small for
-comfortable reading.
-
-
-Under Preferences, Navigator insert the URL of your kiosk
-home page. If you're running a local version of Apache or another web
-server, make this http://localhost/ for top level access, or
-deeper into the html doctree if desired.
-
-
-Save these options, then click View on the Navigator menu
-bar. Deselect Personal Toolbar and Location
-Bar.
-
-
-Notice how much more kiosk-like the interface has become? When you
-exit Navigator, these settings will be saved.
-
-
-
-
-!!3.3 Overlay Masks for Navigator
-
-
-
-If you look closely at your adjusted Navigator screen, you'll see four
-areas that need to be covered and protected from mouse or trackball
-clicks:
-
-
-
-
-
-#The Toolbar at the top
-#
-
-#The twister at the left-hand side of the navigation toolbar
-#
-
-#The rest of the navbar to the right of Home
-#
-
-#The security key in the lower left-hand corner of
-Navigator.
-#
-
-
-
-Here's a rough schematic of the areas you need to mask:
-
-
-
-
-
-+---------------------------------------+
-| # 1 Toolbar |
-+--+------------+-----------------------+
-|#2| | #3 Navbar |
-+--+ +-----------------------+
-| |
-| |
-| |
-| |
-| |
-| |
-| |
-| |
-| |
-| |
-+--------+ |
-|#4 Key | |
-+---------------------------------------+
-
-
-
-
-To mask over the top areas (#1-3), we'll need three graphic images. To
-mask the security key (#4) we'll use xdaliclock.
-
-
-
-
-!Creating the Graphical Masks
-
-
-The easiest way to create graphical masks to cover areas #1-3 is to
-grab a screenshot of Navigator in full 800x600 mode and then crop out
-areas that correspond to #1-3. I used GIMP for this.
-
-
-You can then re-design the basic graphics, changing the colors if you
-wish, or putting your own logo on them. Save them as:
-
-
-
-
-
-#topbar.xpm
-#
-
-#navleft.xpm
-#
-
-#navright.xpm
-#
-
-
-
-The xpm format is the native X Window bitmap format. You will use the
-X Window program ''sxpm'' to place them on the screen.
-
-
-Creating the masks with just the right number of pixels and just the
-right placement on the monitor requires some experimentation. For your
-convenience, I have placed the xpm files we created plus our
-configuration files in at the following web site:
-http://www.rom.on.ca/kiosk/HOWTO/. You may find it simpler to
-download our masks and use them as a starting point for your own
-graphics.
-
-
-
-
-!!3.4 /root/kiosk.xinitrc
-
-
-
-Just as you would normally create a .xinitrc file for your personal
-use, you must create an X Window session initialization file for our
-kiosk application. The following script implements a number of
-features:
-
-
-
-
-
-*Screensaver initialization (optional)
-*
-
-*Placement of graphic bitmap over Navigator menu bar (topnav.xpm)
-*
-
-*Placement of graphic bitmap over navigation bar twiser (navleft.xpm)
-*
-
-*Placement of graphic bitmap over rest of navbar (navright.xpm)
-*
-
-*Xdaliclock placement over Navigator security key (adjusted for
-800x600 screen resolution)
-*
-
-*Netscape startup and loop checks to make sure Navigator is running,
-and to re-run it if it isn't.
-*
-
-
-
-This is the main file that runs the kiosk.
-
-
-
-----
-
-#!/bin/sh
-# kiosk.xinitrc -- Initialization script for kiosk X Window session
-# Start screensaver
-/usr/X11R6/bin/xscreensaver-command -exit
-/usr/X11R6/bin/xscreensaver &
-# Overlay over Navigator (mask #1)
-sxpm /root/navtop.xpm &
-# Overlay small graphic over Toolbar twister - left-hand side (mask #2)
-sxpm -g ++23 /root/navleft.xpm &
-# Overlay larger graphic to cover everything to the right of
-# Home on the Toolbar (mask #3)
-sxpm -g +275+23 /root/navright.xpm &
-# Place xdaliclock over top of Netscape security key, lower lhc (mask #4)
-/usr/X11R6/bin/xdaliclock -g 38x20++578 -font fixed -noseconds \
--bg gray -fg black &
-sleep 2
-# Start fvwm2 window manager
-fvwm2 &
-# restart netscape if it ever exits
-while true ; do
-if
[[ -f /.netscape/lock
] ; then
-rm /.netscape/lock
-fi
-/usr/bin/netscape -geometry 800x600
-done
-# This should never be reached
-
-----
-
-
-
-
-!!3.5 /root/xkiosk
-
-
-
-You can now start testing your kiosk setup. Since you will need to do
-this repeatedly, manually, as well as from an initialization script,
-create the following as a shell script named /root/xkiosk:
-
-
-
-----
-
-/usr/X11R6/bin/xinit /root/kiosk.xinitrc -- /usr/X11R6/bin/X \
--xf86config /root/kiosk.XF86Config bc
-
-----
-
-
-Because you will be testing often, and reusing this later when you
-automate the startup, create this command as a shell script called
-/root/xkiosk. Be sure to chmod ug+x it.
-
-
-
-----
-
-!!4. Initializing the Kiosk
-
-
-Under normal (i.e. kiosk) conditions, Linux should boot straight into
-Kiosk mode. In the event of a power failure, accidental reboot, or
-scheduled reboot, you need to configure the system to do this.
-
-
-For our kiosk we elected to use init level 4, which is normally
-unused, for kiosk mode. We made the following adjustment to
-/etc/inittab:
-
-
-
-
-!!4.1 /etc/inittab modifications
-
-
-
-
-----
-
-# Default runlevel. The runlevels used by RHS are:
-# 0 - halt (Do NOT set initdefault to this)
-# 1 - Single user mode
-# 2 - Multiuser, without NFS (The same as 3, if you do not have networking)
-# 3 - Full multiuser mode
-# 4 - Kiosk mode
-# 5 - X11
-# 6 - reboot (Do NOT set initdefault to this)
-#
-id:4:initdefault:
-
-----
-
-
-
-
-!!4.2 /etc/rc.d/rc.4/S99xkiosk runlevel script
-
-
-
-To initialize the kiosk after everything else has been initialized,
-including, in our case, Apache and MySQL, create the file
-/etc/rc.d/rc.4/S99xkiosk:
-
-
-
-----
-
-#!/bin/bash
-#
-# S99xkiosk Initialization of kiosk for runlevel 4
-#
-# Author: Gene Wilburn <genew@rom.on.ca>
-#
-# Display message on console
-echo "Starting up the X Window Kiosk ... "
-if [[ -f /.netscape/lock] ; then
-rm /.netscape/lock
-fi
-# Logging of X activity
-echo %%%%%%%%%%%%%Reboot%%%%%%%%%% >> /var/log/xlog
-/root/xkiosk
-# This point should only be reached by pressing Ctrl-Backspace
-/sbin/shutdown -r now
-# All done.
-
-----
-
-
-Once this file has been created and inittab has been adjusted to boot
-into init level 4, Linux will boot directly into kiosk mode. On our
-kiosk we disable telnet and ftp and install ssh so we can maintain and
-administer the kiosk remotely across the network with ssh and scp.
-
-
-
-
-!!4.3 Booting normally from the console
-
-
-
-There are times, especially during testing, when you'd like to work
-from the console in a normal init level 3 mode. To do this, press
-__Ctrl-Backspace__ to reboot the system. When LILO: appears type:
-
-
-
-
-
-LILO: linux init 3
-
-
-
-
-and log in as usual.
-
-
-
-----
-
-!!5. Other Considerations
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-!!5.1 Screensavers
-
-
-
-Depending on where you deploy your kiosk, you may not want all the
-default xscreensaver images to appear. For our ''Hands-On
-Biodiversity Gallery'' we wanted to display only the animated
-fractal images that suggested life science themes.
-
-
-After testing out several screensaver images, we decided that we to
-select randomly between two choices: ''coral'' and
-''forest''.
-
-
-To limit xscreensaver to displaying these two, we created the file
-.xscreensaver in the filesystem root (/) with the following options:
-
-
-
-
-!/.xscreensaver
-
-
-
-----
-
-programs: \
-coral -root \n\
-forest -root \n
-
-----
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-!!5.2 Sound Files
-
-
-
-Our kiosk machine contains a Sound Blaster AWE64 card with attached
-speakers. We chose this card specifically because it works well with
-Linux sound drivers.
-
-
-The MySQL database that drives our Biodiversity Gallery kiosk points
-to a collection of sound files that a visitor may listen to, including
-a ``bird song quiz.'' The downside of using Linux Netscape for a kiosk
-is that some of the multimedia aspects are primitive, compared to
-Windows and Macintosh.
-
-
-To enable sound, we implemented a Unix Netscape plugin called Xswallow
-written by Caolan !McNamara (
-http://skynet.csn.ul.ie/~caolan/docs/XSwallow.html). All the
-sound plugins we tested create a separate web page as the sound is
-being played (unless the sound file is embedded). Of the programs we
-tested, Xswallow worked the best and had the cleanest display page.
-
-
-Although the extra page is inconvenient, we decided that having the
-stability of Linux was more important than the extra click required to
-return to the previous screen.
-
-
-An additional problem is that when a sound is selected, the Xswallow
-page displays ``Click to Abort Swallow of type audio/basic''. Clicking
-merely returns a blank page. I made a slight change to the author's
-source code for !UnixShell.c, changing
-
-
-
-
-
-char *text2 = "Click to Abort Swallow";
-
-
-
-
-to read
-
-
-
-
-
-char *text2 = "Click BACK Button to return from playing file";
-
-
-
-
-The phrase ``of type audio/basic'' appears to come directly from
-Netscape rather than Xswallow.
-
-
-After recompiling, I added the plugin to Netscape.
-
-
-A last note about sound files: the original set of files we received
-were a mix of .au and .wav files. Our experience was that the .au
-files worked the most reliably in Linux and we converted all sound
-files to .au format.
-
-
-
-
-!!5.3 Trackballs
-
-
-
-Not having the funding for a touchscreen display, we opted for a
-trackball (and no keyboard) for our kiosk navigation. Our colleague,
-Andy Rauer at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, tipped us off to
-using ``industry-strength'' trackball components from Happ Conrols
-Inc., Elk Grove Village, Illinois
-http://www.happcontrols.com/ (check under their Interactives
-section).
-
-
-One of the things we needed to do was disable any right-mouse button
-click equivalents from being used in Netscape Navigator because
-right-click events invoke user dialogs.
-
-
-By building our own trackball, we were able to wire it any way we
-wanted. We wired in two push-button controls, both with a left-mouse
-button equivalent. The buttons are arranged on either side of the
-trackball, allowing ease of use from right-handed and left-handed
-visitors. Our gallery designers then took the trackball parts and
-built them into the gallery's kiosk enclosure.
-
-
-For our kiosk we purchased the following components for building a
-heavy-duty trackball designed to withstand visitor use (and abuse):
-
-
-
-
-
-*A 2 1/4-inch Atari Trackball Assembly (we selected red)
-*
-
-*Trackball Interface Kit for IBM (Microsoft serial mouse
-compatible)
-*
-
-*Illuminated Push Buttons (red)
-*
-
-
-
-From a local electronics vendor, we purchased a Hammond Manufacturing
-plastic handy case (Cat no. 1591ABK) for housing the electronics board
-for the trackball.
-
-
-Anticipating additional kiosks, and potential part failure, we ordered
-four sets of each of the above for spare parts and testing.
-
-
-
-
-!!5.4 Designing or modifying HTML pages for kiosks
-
-
-
-In the best of all possible worlds, you will have the opporunity to
-design your kiosk pages from scratch. Bearing in mind that using a
-kiosk is a different experience from sitting at a desk browsing the
-web from a personal workstation, the following guidelines are useful
-design principles:
-
-
-
-
-
-*Keep text passages very short and use large fonts.
-*
-
-*Avoid screens that require scrolling.
-*
-
-*Use colorful, large, eye-catching images on every page
-*
-
-*Create embedded navigation if possible, e.g., return to previous
-page, go to next page, go to kiosk menu, etc., should all be designed
-right into the pages themselves.
-*
-
-*Avoid anything that requires a keyboard. Design for clicking.
-*
-
-*If you use sound files, keep the duration short. Embed them into
-the page if possible.
-*
-
-*Make everything punchy and snappy. Design for short attention
-spans and pass-through traffic. Save your theses and exegeses for
-elsewhere.
-*
-
-
-
-Unforunately you will sometimes inherit pages that were designed for
-web browsing rather than kiosk browsing. In these cases it may be too
-time-consuming or too difficult to redesign them as kiosk pages. When
-implementing standard web pages for a kiosk display:
-
-
-
-
-
-*Remove all external A HREF's, including MAILTO's.
-*
-
-*Remove all unnecessary verbiage, logos, etc. from the pages.
-*
-
-*Check font sizes and increase if necessary.
-*
-
-*Remove any animated GIF's that don't pertain directly
-to the pages being viewed.
-*
-
-*Actually, remove any animated GIF's, period.
-*
-
-*Do anything else you can to simplify the page design.
-*
-
-*Check into using server-side includes to add some fundamental
-navigation or a consistent graphic to tie the pages together.
-*
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-----
-
-!!6. Future Directions
-
-
-Our previous attempts at creating browser-based kiosks with
-Windows-based PC's were unsatisfactory. The units were unstable,
-freezing up frequently. The Linux approach has given us a reliable,
-robust kiosk in a public gallery that has stood up well to visitor
-usage. Our success with this project has led us to consider other
-kiosk possibilities.
-
-
-
-
-!!6.1 Remote Kiosks
-
-
-
-One of our future goals is to implement remote kiosks in the greater
-Toronto area where people can browse some of our site information and,
-hopefully, be attracted enough by it to visit the ROM in person. These
-might be deployed at places such as conventions, trade shows, shopping
-malls or special exhibits. We are also thinking in terms of deploying
-kiosks in more distant locations, perhaps in public libraries.
-
-
-For this project we would likely implement modem-based Linux boxes
-that could ``call home'' to update files on a routine basis and could
-be dialled into for maintenance and updates.
-
-
-
-
-!!6.2 Touchscreens
-
-
-
-When the technology gets cheaper, we would like to experiment with
-flat-panel touchscreen displays for kiosks. The combination of
-flat-panel display and very small PC units would enable us to deploy
-kiosks with a very small footprint.
-
-
-
-
-!!6.3 Keyboards
-
-
-
-Ultimately we may need to deploy kiosks that utilize keyboards. This
-will present a new set of challenges in terms of blocking unwanted
-keystrokes. If anyone would like to contribute information on this, or
-to any other aspect of the Kiosk-HOWTO, please email me at
-genew@rom.on.ca or my alternative email address njo@interlog.com.
-
-
-
-
-!!6.4 Collaboration
-
-
-
-I would be very interested in collaborating with other kiosk builders
-to extend the Kiosk-HOWTO for other situations. Kiosks are a bit like
-Perl: ``There is more than one way to do it
.''
-
-
-
-----
+Describe
[HowToKioskHOWTO
] here
.
