Internet or Browser Appliance OS

**Butterfly** · 03-09-2009, 09:40 AM

loved the BeOS, I have the latest DevEd but never got around to install it

looks like they are going to production now,

**melvbot** · 05-09-2009, 06:28 PM

Kiosk Software - Video Player - Linux Computer

This looks like it might be useful but Im damned if I can find a copy to download. Looks like it only ships with the hardware.

looks like its made by some dodgy foreigner, French I think.

**slackula** · 05-09-2009, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by melvbot

Im damned if I can find a copy to download

Probably because it's a custom distro tied to the hardware. If Butterfly was serious about his project he'd know that a Gentoo 1 install or a CLFS system would suit his needs.

Slackware would do it with an expert install, but it'll take some work to strip out the stuff he claims to not want, he'd need to comment stuff out in some boot scripts and change some permissions in the groups plus mucking about with HAL and udev I guess.

There are plenty of kiosk distros and guides out there.

**melvbot** · 12-09-2009, 02:23 PM

Another Linux Distro, this time for netbooks but might be a contender.

easypeasy - for netbooks

**Butterfly** · 14-09-2009, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by slackula

If Butterfly was serious about his project he'd know that a Gentoo 1 install or a CLFS system would suit his needs.

not really, don't want to start from scratch, just need a nice distro that is specially targetted for users don't know how to use a computer, with a simple menu and simple functions. No desktop activity, appliance is the key word here.

Originally Posted by melvbot

Another Linux Distro, this time for netbooks but might be a contender.

that's based on the same Unbuntu Nettop distro, still too complex for someone with no clue, too many options, it needs to be a menu with no more than 4 options for the user.

**Butterfly** · 14-09-2009, 08:49 AM

Actually, ASUS has a very nice NetPC, including a Menu system for the user

it comes with a Touch Screen, so for those having trouble using the mouse, they simply need to touch the screen for the different options

the menu is nice and simple, but still too many options. The machine is quite nice and elegant, and cheap, about 500 EUROS including WinXP. I wanted something with Linux on it, but it seems the community is too much self obsessed in outdoing each other with features and little gadgets, and forget simplicity and accessibility which is at the core of the Appliance concept.

**baldrick** · 15-09-2009, 11:26 PM

sounds more like you want a very basic shell

maybe that is the direction you should be looking

**Butterfly** · 17-09-2009, 09:02 AM

^ yes and I did. Most of the "Desktop" shell out there for WinXP were useless, more complex than simple. Only one seemed promising but it was for kids and it had cartoons characters.

A simple Linux Desktop with a menu is all you need to run an Appliance. Can't believe nobody have thought about it or doing something about it or maybe they did and it was abandoned (which I suspect).

Bundle with a very basic machine, it would serve 90% of the users out there and 100% of the AOL morons.

**slackula** · 17-09-2009, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by Butterfly

Only one seemed promising but it was for kids and it had cartoons characters.

MS Bob? Sounds perfect for you

**baldrick** · 17-09-2009, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Butterfly

and it had cartoons characters.

should be easy to change the icons though, and any support forum might even have ready made icon packs

**Butterfly** · 17-09-2009, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by slackula

Originally Posted by Butterfly

Only one seemed promising but it was for kids and it had cartoons characters.

MS Bob? Sounds perfect for you

still beat Steve Jobs as your cartoon character,

**melvbot** · 12-11-2009, 12:22 AM

BBC NEWS | Technology | New PC to encourage older users

A new computer aimed at people aged over 60 who are unfamiliar with PCs and the internet has been unveiled.

The simplified desktop - called SimplicITy - has just six buttons directing users to basic tasks such as e-mail and chat.

The computer comes pre-loaded with 17 video tutorials from television presenter Valerie Singleton

More than 6 million people over the age of 65 have never used the internet, according to government figures.

**baldrick** · 13-11-2009, 03:03 AM

I am just about to buy an Asrock ION330 for my mother to use.

it will be HDMI straight to the LCD TV in the loungeroom with a webcam for skype , BT headset , wireless keyboard with touchpad , 802.11 adapter for internet and NAS connection and USB HDTV reciever so she can record shows.

my intention is just to put Ubuntu on it , keep the desktop simple and enable VNC server.

she will bascially use firefox and open office on it - she has used computers before in a small way win/mac , so I think she will have no real worries.

**harrybarracuda** · 16-11-2009, 04:13 PM

Sounds to me like you are looking for a "Kiosk" version...

Try xPud.

**Butterfly** · 18-11-2009, 09:36 AM

I think I found the best Internet Appliance ever, it's called Splashtop, but it's only sold to manufacturers (HP, ASUS, SONY)

Splashtop Instant-On Desktop from DeviceVM

however you can still download the distro from most manufacturers download sites

here instructions in English to make it a bootable USB
Splashtop on USB stick - Phoronix Forums

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