Setting up a cybercafe

[b***@gmail.com]

Hi all !

I am setting up a cybercafe in town, and I need your advises.

What are the basic system configuration the cybercafe uses ? I've been
in many cybercafes, the machines run from Win98 to WinXP, from 533MH P3
to P4 superchargers. The screen size ranges from 15in to 19in.

So, what your shop is running ?

I guess the computers will run Windows, and if there's a need, I may
section some to run Linux.

How about the graphic cards - since the systems are going to be loaded
with lots of games. Will the run-of-the-mill nvidia 64MB card suffice ?

And about the cybercafe management software - which one do you think is
the best - in terms of stability, easy to use, - (these two are crucial
since I'm not going to hire genius to man the joint and I don't want
something that those guys can't handle) - configurability, and of
course, price.

Thank you for your suggestions !

[Paul Tan]

Post by b***@gmail.com
Hi all !
I am setting up a cybercafe in town, and I need your advises.
What are the basic system configuration the cybercafe uses ? I've been
in many cybercafes, the machines run from Win98 to WinXP, from 533MH P3
to P4 superchargers. The screen size ranges from 15in to 19in.

get the latest and greatest. 19 inch screen minimum. the patrons are
spoiled for choice and the market is extremely saturated. no one will
come if ther's substandard equipment.

Post by b***@gmail.com
So, what your shop is running ?
I guess the computers will run Windows, and if there's a need, I may
section some to run Linux.

Windows XP

Post by b***@gmail.com
How about the graphic cards - since the systems are going to be loaded
with lots of games. Will the run-of-the-mill nvidia 64MB card suffice ?

Nope.

Post by b***@gmail.com
And about the cybercafe management software - which one do you think is
the best - in terms of stability, easy to use, - (these two are crucial
since I'm not going to hire genius to man the joint and I don't want
something that those guys can't handle) - configurability, and of
course, price.

check out what netmaster in damansara jaya is using, that seems to be
the most widely used software.

[PaPaPeng]

Post by Paul Tan
get the latest and greatest. 19 inch screen minimum. the patrons are
spoiled for choice and the market is extremely saturated. no one will
come if ther's substandard equipment.

You have to get the latest but only basic computer configuration. All
people want to do is to email and check up the Internet for a few
references. And then print them out. So you'll also need a good
laser printer. You will need the fastest broadband conection you can
get. Nobody wants to spend hours surfing the Net to pay you for the
time. I went to a Singapore cyber cafe in Doby Ghuat and they had
really crappy and dirty computers. All I wanted to do was check my
email. The connection was very slow and kept dropping the link. It
may also have been blocked because all I wanted was to use Google's
webmail access to my personal account. I never got to do what I
wanted and something like 15 minutes cost me $10. I can't remember
because I will never use a Singapore cybercafe again.

The PC technology lead, that is its useful commercial life, is good
only for three years. You save nothing and will damage your business
image by using older equipment. Also its better to have all your
technology the same model and version. Looks organized and with it.
Easier to maintain and learn how to do it yourself. Maintainence
includes wiping them clean everyday. A dirty keyboard is a turnoff.
In a pinch it will be easy to switch equipment around to get one
system working out of two or more bad ones.

My opinion is that a pure cybercafe is a poor business proposition.
Those who don't have computers find the fees too high and your
computers hard to use which is why they don't have one in the first
place. Those who are knowledgeable will usually find the equipment
primitive and very dissatisfied. A better business model will be a
modern type cafe with free broadband access points. That is yuppie
customers get to buy Starbuck style coffee and yuppie snacks and get
to plug in their own laptops while they are there. This way you only
have to provide few computers to customers who don't bring their own.
Charge a small fee. Most customers will have and prefer to use their
own computers anyway. Promote it as a trendy place where yuppies meet
to admire each other. You make money from food and drinks. Internet
access is the teaser. In fact don't call it a cybercafe. That's so
passe'.

[Di Da Di]

if not called cybercafe, what else to call.?

Post by PaPaPeng

Post by Paul Tan
get the latest and greatest. 19 inch screen minimum. the patrons are
spoiled for choice and the market is extremely saturated. no one will
come if ther's substandard equipment.

You have to get the latest but only basic computer configuration. All
people want to do is to email and check up the Internet for a few
references. And then print them out. So you'll also need a good
laser printer. You will need the fastest broadband conection you can
get. Nobody wants to spend hours surfing the Net to pay you for the
time. I went to a Singapore cyber cafe in Doby Ghuat and they had
really crappy and dirty computers. All I wanted to do was check my
email. The connection was very slow and kept dropping the link. It
may also have been blocked because all I wanted was to use Google's
webmail access to my personal account. I never got to do what I
wanted and something like 15 minutes cost me $10. I can't remember
because I will never use a Singapore cybercafe again.
The PC technology lead, that is its useful commercial life, is good
only for three years. You save nothing and will damage your business
image by using older equipment. Also its better to have all your
technology the same model and version. Looks organized and with it.
Easier to maintain and learn how to do it yourself. Maintainence
includes wiping them clean everyday. A dirty keyboard is a turnoff.
In a pinch it will be easy to switch equipment around to get one
system working out of two or more bad ones.
My opinion is that a pure cybercafe is a poor business proposition.
Those who don't have computers find the fees too high and your
computers hard to use which is why they don't have one in the first
place. Those who are knowledgeable will usually find the equipment
primitive and very dissatisfied. A better business model will be a
modern type cafe with free broadband access points. That is yuppie
customers get to buy Starbuck style coffee and yuppie snacks and get
to plug in their own laptops while they are there. This way you only
have to provide few computers to customers who don't bring their own.
Charge a small fee. Most customers will have and prefer to use their
own computers anyway. Promote it as a trendy place where yuppies meet
to admire each other. You make money from food and drinks. Internet
access is the teaser. In fact don't call it a cybercafe. That's so
passe'.

[PaPaPeng]

Post by Di Da Di
if not called cybercafe, what else to call.?
Cyber-cafes are the rave a few years back, and quite a number had died.
Perhaps you should consider your business plan... I doubt that
cyber-cafe will stand on its own. Given that a good number of fast food
joints like Mac's, BK's and coffee shops like Star buck often have
facilities to allow those with notebooks to go online... your
cyber-cafe must have soemthng that others don't have in order to draw
in business.

Which exactly reflects my views.

The business must succeed as a restaurant first. The free internet
access is the "come into my parlour" attraction. Don't even call it a
cybercafe. Its a poison word like cyberspace, IT, and all those
buzzwords that crashed with the dot.com bust.

Since the OP wants to attract the computer savvy crowd this restaurant
must be a bit upscale and not a kopitiam type. Coffee at $2 to $5 a
cup, free refills. Finger foods and snack foods, western style
servings $5 to $20 per order. Western style because the dish of food
looks attractive and generates minimal mess to clear and to clean up.
Menu can be contained in two pages. Each customer has personal
serving and little or no sharing - kiasu to share and save money,
"what you can't afford your order?" , can impress girlfriend that you
can afford the best = bigger orders for restaurant operator.
Expensive enough to keep out the riffraff and yet affordable enough
for yuppies to drop their dollars freely.

There is a trendy Chinese owned snack shop in Milpitas Calif. that I
visited a few months ago. Its in a shopping strip mall complex with
something like 30 or more businesses, practically all Chinese owned.
The complex is right next to the enormous CISCO HQ campus San Jose.
During lunchtime there will be a lot of Chuppies going there. On
weekends that comples is packed with Chinamen with a good sprinkling
of other ethnic groups from all over the surrounding townships. Cars
spill into the CISCO parking lot. Learned that it is the "Chinatown"
because there are no chinatowns in most of the townships. Kinda of
interesting because the shop and their buildings are all modern, clean
and very well stocked. There are none of the dirty old style cramped
Chinatown shops or slum housing nearby. In fact there is no housing
nearby, just the high tech companies. If you are Chinese and anywhere
south of San Francisco this is where you go. Everbody knows about
this place.

Anyway back to this snack shop. It has maybe four booths, 4 six
seater round tables and a strip tabletop along the front glass window
that can accommodate 6 to 8 customers on bar stools. Opens from 9 am
to 2 am. Its packed every evening with mainly young good looking
Chuppies. Its practically a youth hangout. The shop serve Chinese
type cusine western style, mostly fried or whatever without sloshy
sauces to create a mess. Each order is garnished with veggies that
make it look attractive and colorful. The best sellers are what they
call coolers, boiled read beans, sago seeds, barley, sweetened yam,
the sweet cooling dessert that comes at the end of a 8 course dinner
or at the "tung sui" stall in Singapore. These are served in tall
glasses soda-fountain style. $3.50 to $6 per glass I think. These
are made in the front bar counter that also takes your kitchen order
and has the cash register as well. The shop's decor is modernistic
with stainless steel props. Plays soft western pop music that is
mostly drowned out by the noisy talk from customers.

But no Internet access. I figure they don't have the space and it
would slow down customer turnover. That cash register rarely stops
ringing.

[Di Da Di]

interestingly - how could they eat or actually spoon scoops or scrap the
bottom of those "tong sui" cooling desert if served in tall glass
soda-fountain style.

I think in all - I think the rent in singapore will "kill" the business
before it could take off. Say for a space like in your description, it would
need about 700 to 900 sqft of space- about the size 3 or 4 room HB flat, to
run it. The market rate for restaurant or cafe business in prime area
shopping location in singapore is about $10 to $15 per ft. The rent roughly
about $7000 per month to $10K per month. All these exclude other costs like
elect, water, licnece fee, staffing costs, etc.. Our rent cost in HDB
provision shops or retail shops in signaproe is very high - about 40% of
sales. This figure was established by some experts in the retail industry.
If one takes away the rent, overhead and other hidden costs from the sales
revenue and if the cost of goods is take out, there is nothing left to pay
their own salary. I dont think reail can survive long in singapore.

Post by PaPaPeng

Post by Di Da Di
if not called cybercafe, what else to call.?
Cyber-cafes are the rave a few years back, and quite a number had died.
Perhaps you should consider your business plan... I doubt that
cyber-cafe will stand on its own. Given that a good number of fast food
joints like Mac's, BK's and coffee shops like Star buck often have
facilities to allow those with notebooks to go online... your
cyber-cafe must have soemthng that others don't have in order to draw
in business.

Which exactly reflects my views.
The business must succeed as a restaurant first. The free internet
access is the "come into my parlour" attraction. Don't even call it a
cybercafe. Its a poison word like cyberspace, IT, and all those
buzzwords that crashed with the dot.com bust.
Since the OP wants to attract the computer savvy crowd this restaurant
must be a bit upscale and not a kopitiam type. Coffee at $2 to $5 a
cup, free refills. Finger foods and snack foods, western style
servings $5 to $20 per order. Western style because the dish of food
looks attractive and generates minimal mess to clear and to clean up.
Menu can be contained in two pages. Each customer has personal
serving and little or no sharing - kiasu to share and save money,
"what you can't afford your order?" , can impress girlfriend that you
can afford the best = bigger orders for restaurant operator.
Expensive enough to keep out the riffraff and yet affordable enough
for yuppies to drop their dollars freely.
There is a trendy Chinese owned snack shop in Milpitas Calif. that I
visited a few months ago. Its in a shopping strip mall complex with
something like 30 or more businesses, practically all Chinese owned.
The complex is right next to the enormous CISCO HQ campus San Jose.
During lunchtime there will be a lot of Chuppies going there. On
weekends that comples is packed with Chinamen with a good sprinkling
of other ethnic groups from all over the surrounding townships. Cars
spill into the CISCO parking lot. Learned that it is the "Chinatown"
because there are no chinatowns in most of the townships. Kinda of
interesting because the shop and their buildings are all modern, clean
and very well stocked. There are none of the dirty old style cramped
Chinatown shops or slum housing nearby. In fact there is no housing
nearby, just the high tech companies. If you are Chinese and anywhere
south of San Francisco this is where you go. Everbody knows about
this place.
Anyway back to this snack shop. It has maybe four booths, 4 six
seater round tables and a strip tabletop along the front glass window
that can accommodate 6 to 8 customers on bar stools. Opens from 9 am
to 2 am. Its packed every evening with mainly young good looking
Chuppies. Its practically a youth hangout. The shop serve Chinese
type cusine western style, mostly fried or whatever without sloshy
sauces to create a mess. Each order is garnished with veggies that
make it look attractive and colorful. The best sellers are what they
call coolers, boiled read beans, sago seeds, barley, sweetened yam,
the sweet cooling dessert that comes at the end of a 8 course dinner
or at the "tung sui" stall in Singapore. These are served in tall
glasses soda-fountain style. $3.50 to $6 per glass I think. These
are made in the front bar counter that also takes your kitchen order
and has the cash register as well. The shop's decor is modernistic
with stainless steel props. Plays soft western pop music that is
mostly drowned out by the noisy talk from customers.
But no Internet access. I figure they don't have the space and it
would slow down customer turnover. That cash register rarely stops
ringing.

[PaPaPeng]

Post by Di Da Di
interestingly - how could they eat or actually spoon scoops or scrap the
bottom of those "tong sui" cooling desert if served in tall glass
soda-fountain style.

A longer double diameter drinking straws with a scoop at the end. The
scoop doesn't have any ability to hold liquid like a spoon. It is
more like a miniature curved paddle.

Post by Di Da Di
I think in all - I think the rent in singapore will "kill" the business
before it could take off. Say for a space like in your description, it would
need about 700 to 900 sqft of space- about the size 3 or 4 room HB flat, to
run it. The market rate for restaurant or cafe business in prime area
shopping location in singapore is about $10 to $15 per ft. The rent roughly
about $7000 per month to $10K per month. All these exclude other costs like
elect, water, licnece fee, staffing costs, etc.. Our rent cost in HDB
provision shops or retail shops in signaproe is very high - about 40% of
sales. This figure was established by some experts in the retail industry.
If one takes away the rent, overhead and other hidden costs from the sales
revenue and if the cost of goods is take out, there is nothing left to pay
their own salary. I dont think reail can survive long in singapore.

$10k over 30 days is $333 a day in rent. If that represents 40% of
costs then the daily take must be at least $883. Lets target $2000
business per day. At an average of $6 per customer you need 333
customers a day. Sounds doable. I don't know. I have never dreamt
of ever getting into the makan business. Since I can't cook I would
be at the mercy of someone I can't replace in an emergency.

[Di Da Di]

Using double diameter straw is like those bubble iced tea which was quite
popular in Singapore sometime ago but the business fizzled off just as fast
as so much publicly was about bad health becos of its sugary drink blah
blah. In iced bubble tea it has round pearl made from tapioca starch, and
becos its diameter is big and so a bigger diameter straw was needed..

I think for those "tong sui" - like sweet potato, tapioca, longan, and so
on, have ot chopped to smaller pieces smaleler than the straw diameter. And
becasue it is chopped in smll cubes, keeping it in hot mode in the pot can
turn into a maise.

Post by PaPaPeng

Post by Di Da Di
interestingly - how could they eat or actually spoon scoops or scrap the
bottom of those "tong sui" cooling desert if served in tall glass
soda-fountain style.

A longer double diameter drinking straws with a scoop at the end. The
scoop doesn't have any ability to hold liquid like a spoon. It is
more like a miniature curved paddle.

Post by Di Da Di
I think in all - I think the rent in singapore will "kill" the business
before it could take off. Say for a space like in your description, it would
need about 700 to 900 sqft of space- about the size 3 or 4 room HB flat, to
run it. The market rate for restaurant or cafe business in prime area
shopping location in singapore is about $10 to $15 per ft. The rent roughly
about $7000 per month to $10K per month. All these exclude other costs like
elect, water, licnece fee, staffing costs, etc.. Our rent cost in HDB
provision shops or retail shops in signaproe is very high - about 40% of
sales. This figure was established by some experts in the retail industry.
If one takes away the rent, overhead and other hidden costs from the sales
revenue and if the cost of goods is take out, there is nothing left to pay
their own salary. I dont think reail can survive long in singapore.

$10k over 30 days is $333 a day in rent. If that represents 40% of
costs then the daily take must be at least $883. Lets target $2000
business per day. At an average of $6 per customer you need 333
customers a day. Sounds doable. I don't know. I have never dreamt
of ever getting into the makan business. Since I can't cook I would
be at the mercy of someone I can't replace in an emergency.

[Di Da Di]

333 customers per day is not achievable - not easy anyway. The turnover of
people in the cafe will have to be very fast. If you have 33 tables, it will
have to turn over 10 people per table per hour. So by the 10 business hours
per day, you can achieve 333customers. It's not easy. Maybe maconald style
eat-in and takeaway could achieve this number of people.

Post by PaPaPeng

Post by Di Da Di
interestingly - how could they eat or actually spoon scoops or scrap the
bottom of those "tong sui" cooling desert if served in tall glass
soda-fountain style.

A longer double diameter drinking straws with a scoop at the end. The
scoop doesn't have any ability to hold liquid like a spoon. It is
more like a miniature curved paddle.

Post by Di Da Di
I think in all - I think the rent in singapore will "kill" the business
before it could take off. Say for a space like in your description, it would
need about 700 to 900 sqft of space- about the size 3 or 4 room HB flat, to
run it. The market rate for restaurant or cafe business in prime area
shopping location in singapore is about $10 to $15 per ft. The rent roughly
about $7000 per month to $10K per month. All these exclude other costs like
elect, water, licnece fee, staffing costs, etc.. Our rent cost in HDB
provision shops or retail shops in signaproe is very high - about 40% of
sales. This figure was established by some experts in the retail industry.
If one takes away the rent, overhead and other hidden costs from the sales
revenue and if the cost of goods is take out, there is nothing left to pay
their own salary. I dont think reail can survive long in singapore.

$10k over 30 days is $333 a day in rent. If that represents 40% of
costs then the daily take must be at least $883. Lets target $2000
business per day. At an average of $6 per customer you need 333
customers a day. Sounds doable. I don't know. I have never dreamt
of ever getting into the makan business. Since I can't cook I would
be at the mercy of someone I can't replace in an emergency.

[PaPaPeng]

Post by Di Da Di
333 customers per day is not achievable - not easy anyway. The turnover of
people in the cafe will have to be very fast. If you have 33 tables, it will
have to turn over 10 people per table per hour. So by the 10 business hours
per day, you can achieve 333customers. It's not easy. Maybe maconald style
eat-in and takeaway could achieve this number of people.

A cafe should not have more than 10 tables or perhaps 60 customers
capacity. It must always appear to be full and busy to make it look
as if people have to fight to get in. If you can fill only half the
33 tables in a spacious restaurant at any one time you will still look
empty and therefore appear not popular. If you have an always full
and busy restaurant customers who have finished their meals will feel
obliged to leave their table to let others who are waiting to eat.
Its rude to hold others up. The restaurant owner then gets a very
good customer turnover.

Have no more than four tables where you can seat 6. Its hard to get a
party of 6 anytime. Have 4 seater booths and standup tabletops for
singles and pairs, the most common group of customers. A smaller
restaurant also means you don't need as many staff, a profit killer
fixed cost.

That Milpitas restaurant also had a pretty good take-out business.
This is where the food must be dry or at least be capable of being
packaged and handled without soups or sloshy sauces messing up the
packaging or leave soggy food by the time they get home. Same idea
about table served dishes. One order per person on a single plate.
Uses up less space and needs less cleanup.

Leave a box for tips at the cash register. With a dollar or two
change out of a $20 or more order take out customers normally put that
into the tip box. Price your menu items so that there will always be
some change left over for tips.

How this model fits in with broadband access and PC use by customers I
don't know.

[PaPaPeng]

Post by PaPaPeng
It must always appear to be full and busy to make it look
as if people have to fight to get in.

Reminds me of an episode in my City.

This Lebanese pizza shop owner wanted to sell his business and
advertised that in the papers. Soon someone asked to see his
business. "Sure, no problem. Just say when. Come at dinnertime when
I am busy and you will get a good idea of the customer base."

So our would be buyer came and was treated royally with free pizza.
The shop was packed and the phone rang off the hook with delivery
orders. Our owner knew almost everyone by name and was on very
friendly terms with them. My regular customers he said and them
engaged in friendly banter. He could barely spare a minute with his
guest.

Of course our buyer was impressed and the deal was made.

When the new owner opened shop there was no one coming through the
door. He had been had. The Labanese owner had invited all his
relatives and friends with free pizza. Of course he also arranged for
his phone to ring.

[Di Da Di]

oh ha .ha.ha.

Post by PaPaPeng

Post by PaPaPeng
It must always appear to be full and busy to make it look
as if people have to fight to get in.

Reminds me of an episode in my City.
This Lebanese pizza shop owner wanted to sell his business and
advertised that in the papers. Soon someone asked to see his
business. "Sure, no problem. Just say when. Come at dinnertime when
I am busy and you will get a good idea of the customer base."
So our would be buyer came and was treated royally with free pizza.
The shop was packed and the phone rang off the hook with delivery
orders. Our owner knew almost everyone by name and was on very
friendly terms with them. My regular customers he said and them
engaged in friendly banter. He could barely spare a minute with his
guest.
Of course our buyer was impressed and the deal was made.
When the new owner opened shop there was no one coming through the
door. He had been had. The Labanese owner had invited all his
relatives and friends with free pizza. Of course he also arranged for
his phone to ring.

[Di Da Di]

very insightful ideas!.

Post by PaPaPeng

Post by Di Da Di
333 customers per day is not achievable - not easy anyway. The turnover of
people in the cafe will have to be very fast. If you have 33 tables, it will
have to turn over 10 people per table per hour. So by the 10 business hours
per day, you can achieve 333customers. It's not easy. Maybe maconald style
eat-in and takeaway could achieve this number of people.

A cafe should not have more than 10 tables or perhaps 60 customers
capacity. It must always appear to be full and busy to make it look
as if people have to fight to get in. If you can fill only half the
33 tables in a spacious restaurant at any one time you will still look
empty and therefore appear not popular. If you have an always full
and busy restaurant customers who have finished their meals will feel
obliged to leave their table to let others who are waiting to eat.
Its rude to hold others up. The restaurant owner then gets a very
good customer turnover.
Have no more than four tables where you can seat 6. Its hard to get a
party of 6 anytime. Have 4 seater booths and standup tabletops for
singles and pairs, the most common group of customers. A smaller
restaurant also means you don't need as many staff, a profit killer
fixed cost.
That Milpitas restaurant also had a pretty good take-out business.
This is where the food must be dry or at least be capable of being
packaged and handled without soups or sloshy sauces messing up the
packaging or leave soggy food by the time they get home. Same idea
about table served dishes. One order per person on a single plate.
Uses up less space and needs less cleanup.
Leave a box for tips at the cash register. With a dollar or two
change out of a $20 or more order take out customers normally put that
into the tip box. Price your menu items so that there will always be
some change left over for tips.
How this model fits in with broadband access and PC use by customers I
don't know.

[dave chiew]

Post by Di Da Di
333 customers per day is not achievable - not easy anyway. The turnover of
people in the cafe will have to be very fast. If you have 33 tables, it will
have to turn over 10 people per table per hour. So by the 10 business hours
per day, you can achieve 333customers. It's not easy. Maybe maconald style
eat-in and takeaway could achieve this number of people.

Basic maths :

33 tables X 10 per table per hour = 330 people per hour

330 people per hour X 10 hours = 3300 customers

I am not too sure about modern maths but that's how we calculated in
the old days. :)

-dave chiew

[Di Da Di]

you're right my mistake.

Post by dave chiew

Post by Di Da Di
333 customers per day is not achievable - not easy anyway. The turnover of
people in the cafe will have to be very fast. If you have 33 tables, it will
have to turn over 10 people per table per hour. So by the 10 business hours
per day, you can achieve 333customers. It's not easy. Maybe maconald style
eat-in and takeaway could achieve this number of people.

33 tables X 10 per table per hour = 330 people per hour
330 people per hour X 10 hours = 3300 customers
I am not too sure about modern maths but that's how we calculated in
the old days. :)
-dave chiew

[lobert lo]

cyberbar with bar top dancing !

Post by Di Da Di
if not called cybercafe, what else to call.?

Post by PaPaPeng

Post by Paul Tan
get the latest and greatest. 19 inch screen minimum. the patrons are
spoiled for choice and the market is extremely saturated. no one will
come if ther's substandard equipment.

You have to get the latest but only basic computer configuration. All
people want to do is to email and check up the Internet for a few
references. And then print them out. So you'll also need a good
laser printer. You will need the fastest broadband conection you can
get. Nobody wants to spend hours surfing the Net to pay you for the
time. I went to a Singapore cyber cafe in Doby Ghuat and they had
really crappy and dirty computers. All I wanted to do was check my
email. The connection was very slow and kept dropping the link. It
may also have been blocked because all I wanted was to use Google's
webmail access to my personal account. I never got to do what I
wanted and something like 15 minutes cost me $10. I can't remember
because I will never use a Singapore cybercafe again.
The PC technology lead, that is its useful commercial life, is good
only for three years. You save nothing and will damage your business
image by using older equipment. Also its better to have all your
technology the same model and version. Looks organized and with it.
Easier to maintain and learn how to do it yourself. Maintainence
includes wiping them clean everyday. A dirty keyboard is a turnoff.
In a pinch it will be easy to switch equipment around to get one
system working out of two or more bad ones.
My opinion is that a pure cybercafe is a poor business proposition.
Those who don't have computers find the fees too high and your
computers hard to use which is why they don't have one in the first
place. Those who are knowledgeable will usually find the equipment
primitive and very dissatisfied. A better business model will be a
modern type cafe with free broadband access points. That is yuppie
customers get to buy Starbuck style coffee and yuppie snacks and get
to plug in their own laptops while they are there. This way you only
have to provide few computers to customers who don't bring their own.
Charge a small fee. Most customers will have and prefer to use their
own computers anyway. Promote it as a trendy place where yuppies meet
to admire each other. You make money from food and drinks. Internet
access is the teaser. In fact don't call it a cybercafe. That's so
passe'.

[Di Da Di]

ha .ha....you are a brilliant!

Post by lobert lo
cyberbar with bar top dancing !

Post by Di Da Di
if not called cybercafe, what else to call.?

Post by PaPaPeng

Post by Paul Tan
get the latest and greatest. 19 inch screen minimum. the patrons are
spoiled for choice and the market is extremely saturated. no one will
come if ther's substandard equipment.

You have to get the latest but only basic computer configuration. All
people want to do is to email and check up the Internet for a few
references. And then print them out. So you'll also need a good
laser printer. You will need the fastest broadband conection you can
get. Nobody wants to spend hours surfing the Net to pay you for the
time. I went to a Singapore cyber cafe in Doby Ghuat and they had
really crappy and dirty computers. All I wanted to do was check my
email. The connection was very slow and kept dropping the link. It
may also have been blocked because all I wanted was to use Google's
webmail access to my personal account. I never got to do what I
wanted and something like 15 minutes cost me $10. I can't remember
because I will never use a Singapore cybercafe again.
The PC technology lead, that is its useful commercial life, is good
only for three years. You save nothing and will damage your business
image by using older equipment. Also its better to have all your
technology the same model and version. Looks organized and with it.
Easier to maintain and learn how to do it yourself. Maintainence
includes wiping them clean everyday. A dirty keyboard is a turnoff.
In a pinch it will be easy to switch equipment around to get one
system working out of two or more bad ones.
My opinion is that a pure cybercafe is a poor business proposition.
Those who don't have computers find the fees too high and your
computers hard to use which is why they don't have one in the first
place. Those who are knowledgeable will usually find the equipment
primitive and very dissatisfied. A better business model will be a
modern type cafe with free broadband access points. That is yuppie
customers get to buy Starbuck style coffee and yuppie snacks and get
to plug in their own laptops while they are there. This way you only
have to provide few computers to customers who don't bring their own.
Charge a small fee. Most customers will have and prefer to use their
own computers anyway. Promote it as a trendy place where yuppies meet
to admire each other. You make money from food and drinks. Internet
access is the teaser. In fact don't call it a cybercafe. That's so
passe'.

[Ir. Hj. Othman bin Ahmad]

Post by PaPaPeng

Post by Paul Tan
get the latest and greatest. 19 inch screen minimum. the patrons are
spoiled for choice and the market is extremely saturated. no one will
come if ther's substandard equipment.

...

Post by PaPaPeng
Charge a small fee. Most customers will have and prefer to use their
own computers anyway. Promote it as a trendy place where yuppies meet
to admire each other. You make money from food and drinks. Internet
access is the teaser. In fact don't call it a cybercafe. That's so
passe'.

Incredible and original but free advice. Wifi is the cheapest. I'd love
to see this idea grow.

Unfortunately, IT expertise is completely different from food
expertise.

Some form of IT franchising is important in order to maximise returns
on proven IT systems, in order to compete against well financed but
stale telecommunications giants.

What is required is a cheaper form of Wifi business software that
allows some form of controls on the users.

I hope to see more Wifi joints that charge cheaply since I provide my
own equipment, namely my Wifi PDA, armed with my 2 Gbyte online email
account complete with the latest online free info and news. The charge
should be less than RM1 per hour, instead of the RM 60 that hotels
routinely charge but for the whole day, but nobody surfs the whole day.

[The Bishop]

On 9 May 2005 07:03:23 -0700, "Ir. Hj. Othman bin Ahmad"

Post by Ir. Hj. Othman bin Ahmad
What is required is a cheaper form of Wifi business software that
allows some form of controls on the users.

In fact you can find such hardware/software combo on the market. You
set up teh tarek stall, attach antenna on top of the big umbrella.
Link this to your high speed wirless broadband account, anyone
drinking teh or kopi around your stall can wifi already. What they
get to see on their pda or laptop will be a logon screen into your
account. You allocate bandwidht and speed accordingly ..... you
control everything, their kway lepis as well ..... do it before it
others offer it for free .....

Post by Ir. Hj. Othman bin Ahmad
I hope to see more Wifi joints that charge cheaply since I provide my
own equipment, namely my Wifi PDA, armed with my 2 Gbyte online email
account complete with the latest online free info and news. The charge
should be less than RM1 per hour, instead of the RM 60 that hotels
routinely charge but for the whole day, but nobody surfs the whole day.

All it take if for you to have a home internet account where the
provider,say partner with Starbucks, also allows you to surf wireless
at their hotspot. You don't have to pay, but tag on their wireless
node to login using your home account. Don't tell me this old
technology called "portable internet wifi whatever" have not reach
Asia yet ...... :))

[o***@lycos.com]

Post by The Bishop
On 9 May 2005 07:03:23 -0700, "Ir. Hj. Othman bin Ahmad"

...

Post by The Bishop
All it take if for you to have a home internet account where the

wired broadband.

Post by The Bishop
provider,say partner with Starbucks, also allows you to surf wireless
at their hotspot. You don't have to pay, but tag on their wireless
node to login using your home account. Don't tell me this old
technology called "portable internet wifi whatever" have not reach
Asia yet ...... :))

Already but its spread is too slow.
Some blame it on the monopolistic regulatory but with so many ISP and
Telecom licenses issued to many companies, Malaysians still look up to
the former govn entity, Telekom Malaysia to make Wifi as mainstream
broadband provider.

Maybe the costs of providing the broadband infra is much hiher than
what TM offer for its Wifi service at RM20/month.

[PaPaPeng]

On 9 May 2005 07:03:23 -0700, "Ir. Hj. Othman bin Ahmad"

Post by Ir. Hj. Othman bin Ahmad
Some form of IT franchising is important in order to maximise returns
on proven IT systems, in order to compete against well financed but
stale telecommunications giants.
What is required is a cheaper form of Wifi business software that
allows some form of controls on the users.
I hope to see more Wifi joints that charge cheaply since I provide my
own equipment, namely my Wifi PDA, armed with my 2 Gbyte online email
account complete with the latest online free info and news. The charge
should be less than RM1 per hour, instead of the RM 60 that hotels
routinely charge but for the whole day, but nobody surfs the whole day.

In Singapore-Malaysia there is that reservation about "illegal"
computer use. By this I mean if you let someone use your computer
he'/he may make "criminal" posts that can be traced back to you and
get you into trouble. This isn't a problem in the US where hotels now
provide free wireless computer access although airports may still
stick you for $6 to $25 for computer linkups. In a hotel, guests get
the hotel's password to link up their laptops. The hotel changes the
password weekly. Guests who have left won't be able to use the old
password to connect. But if he has his own ISP acccount he can use
his laptop via the hotel link, as in anyone having coffee at the
lounge.

I did some asking around. You can now get very cheap equipment for
under $100 where you can have multiple PC access to a wireless hub.
In fact I have one in my home. You need a ISP account (SingTel or
whatever) and of course your own password to access this personal
account. You need an ISD for your business anyway and it cost $60 or
so a month. Cheap.

The wireless hub signal hot spot is good for a radius of 200 feet.
Anyone's laptop equipped with a wireless link can use his laptop
within this hotspot so long as he has his own ISP account. Its like
having a telephone jack available except he cannot make a phone call
unless he has his own phone account. Since anyone who has his own ISP
server can use your wireless link you might as well provide it as a
freebie to your guests and to anyone who wants to hang outside your
shop but is not a customer. Its very good free advertisment that
costs you nothing. If there is very heavy use and therefore slow
equipment response buy more servers. At under $100 each its very
affordable.

There may be tourists who want computer access. This is where you can
rent out cheap basic laptops with a wirelss link. Charge whatever
the market rate is elsewhere. Change your password for the next day.
Keep records (day/password/customer charge/Time use) to cover your ass
with regard to that "criminal" concern. Its an attractive service
to bring in customers but you don't really want to do this as there is
too much record keeping and customers who type on the laptop don't eat
or drink much.

[Ir. Hj. Othman bin Ahmad]

Post by PaPaPeng

Post by Paul Tan
get the latest and greatest. 19 inch screen minimum. the patrons are
spoiled for choice and the market is extremely saturated. no one will
come if ther's substandard equipment.

...

Post by PaPaPeng
Charge a small fee. Most customers will have and prefer to use their
own computers anyway. Promote it as a trendy place where yuppies meet
to admire each other. You make money from food and drinks. Internet
access is the teaser. In fact don't call it a cybercafe. That's so
passe'.

Incredible and original but free advice. Wifi is the cheapest. I'd love
to see this idea grow.

Unfortunately, IT expertise is completely different from food
expertise.

Some form of IT franchising is important in order to maximise returns
on proven IT systems, in order to compete against well financed but
stale telecommunications giants.

What is required is a cheaper form of Wifi business software that
allows some form of controls on the users.

I hope to see more Wifi joints that charge cheaply since I provide my
own equipment, namely my Wifi PDA, armed with my 2 Gbyte online email
account complete with the latest online free info and news. The charge
should be less than RM1 per hour, instead of the RM 60 that hotels
routinely charge but for the whole day, but nobody surfs the whole day.

[ddsf]

ask your Q ... ***@gmail.com
or <***@yahoo.com>

we give you the personal touch.

Post by b***@gmail.com
Hi all !
I am setting up a cybercafe in town, and I need your advises.
What are the basic system configuration the cybercafe uses ? I've been
in many cybercafes, the machines run from Win98 to WinXP, from 533MH P3
to P4 superchargers. The screen size ranges from 15in to 19in.
So, what your shop is running ?
I guess the computers will run Windows, and if there's a need, I may
section some to run Linux.
How about the graphic cards - since the systems are going to be loaded
with lots of games. Will the run-of-the-mill nvidia 64MB card suffice ?
And about the cybercafe management software - which one do you think is
the best - in terms of stability, easy to use, - (these two are crucial
since I'm not going to hire genius to man the joint and I don't want
something that those guys can't handle) - configurability, and of
course, price.
Thank you for your suggestions !

[WebWalker]

Shouldn't you partner with someone who has experience in this area.
Or if you don't want to have partner, probably you should employ
someone who previously operate a cybercafe.

Involve something you don't have any experience with, you will be in
great risk of loosing a lot of money.

[Tweety]

On Sat, 07 May 2005 13:38:54 +0800, WebWalker <***@eudoramail.com> wrote:

He got a rich uncle like you hor?

Post by WebWalker
Shouldn't you partner with someone who has experience in this area.
Or if you don't want to have partner, probably you should employ
someone who previously operate a cybercafe.
Involve something you don't have any experience with, you will be in
great risk of loosing a lot of money.

[WebWalker]

Post by Tweety
He got a rich uncle like you hor?

Me !!?? Rich !!??
Ho ho ho ... I hopes I am.

[GW]

You should explore Linux as there are gaming admin tools available.
Actually this is not a big problem.

The biggest consideration will be RENT! Even the hawkers are hawked by the
ever increasing rent.

Post by b***@gmail.com
Hi all !
I am setting up a cybercafe in town, and I need your advises.
What are the basic system configuration the cybercafe uses ? I've been
in many cybercafes, the machines run from Win98 to WinXP, from 533MH P3
to P4 superchargers. The screen size ranges from 15in to 19in.
So, what your shop is running ?
I guess the computers will run Windows, and if there's a need, I may
section some to run Linux.
How about the graphic cards - since the systems are going to be loaded
with lots of games. Will the run-of-the-mill nvidia 64MB card suffice ?
And about the cybercafe management software - which one do you think is
the best - in terms of stability, easy to use, - (these two are crucial
since I'm not going to hire genius to man the joint and I don't want
something that those guys can't handle) - configurability, and of
course, price.
Thank you for your suggestions !

[a***@gmail.com]

I suggest reading the Rich Dad/Poor Dad series of books first...

There are some pretty good advise there for those who wants to begin
their busienss.

You may want to talk to an accountant or a lawyer or both before you
actually start buying system.

Do a budget, look at how much you have (your starting capital) so that
you arrive at a balance between your spending and the amount you have.

You also have to look at the location of your cafe, who are your
customers...

Your machines should be the last of your worries. Frankly, if you do
not have customers, it doesn't matter how good or how bad your machines
are. Your business will still fail.

Cyber-cafes are the rave a few years back, and quite a number had died.
Perhaps you should consider your business plan... I doubt that
cyber-cafe will stand on its own. Given that a good number of fast food
joints like Mac's, BK's and coffee shops like Star buck often have
facilities to allow those with notebooks to go online... your
cyber-cafe must have soemthng that others don't have in order to draw
in business.

Nowadays, it is no longer as simple as opening up a shop and a lot of
customer will walk in.

She who dances not for money.