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Setting up an Internet Cafe?
"What kind of set up did you start off with: 10 computers, 256kbit DSL, a dedicated T3 or something else? I am currently looking at 8 computers with some form of DSL (this should be the most cost effective solution). Cable might be available, but it depends on the location.
This internet cafe is primarily aimed at gamers, and I am interested to know how much success small internet cafes have had with bulk software purchases (say X = number of computers (8 to 10), X licenses for Half-Life and X licenses for Starcraft etc). I think I can get into contact with suppliers in Australia, but X licenses may still not be enough to be bulk. What suppliers (in the Australia/Pacific region) have other internet cafes delt with and bought software from? Please pass along any lessons learned if so.
What kind of times are the most popular? Being open all day costs a lot, so I was thinking of being open 5~6pm to about 11pm, seven days a week, and also having an 'all night special' on friday nights. What times do you run your internet cafe? What kind of special all night things do you have? For the readers out there, what times would be optimal for you and what kind of 'specials' would you want?
I am also interested how you deal with security. I have been thinking of basically hiring a bouncer to deal with gatecrashers and such (but this is rather expensive). Is security this much of a problem? I mean, how do you deal with a car of five drugged and drunken idiots intent on (as in smashing window/door down intent) getting some counterstrike goodness (or just seeing what happens when you stick someones head inside a broken monitor)? Do internet cafes attract this kind of person? I was talking to my parents, and they were saying that drunken people just drive around looking for a joint to gatecrash, and being open at 11pm just sounds like trouble to me. So does your internet cafe hire bouncers or some other form of security?
I had thought I would get people to 'register' first, and then book appointments beforehand - perhaps even some sort of video security system on the front door (or maybe even fingerprint ID/keycards). Has anyone tried anything like this and has it been successful? Can you recommend any such systems in existence? Any kind of 'register' before use system will always cause hassles for new users, and put off the casual gamer, which is also a problem...
The security situation also has a lot to do with location. I am currently looking at an area close to the local university, and also a location within the university. Getting a site within university would solve a lot of the security problems (university has its own security staff) so this would help, but I am not sure if there is a space currently for rent.
What kind of system should I run? Obviously
most games are only going to run on windows, (and wine is a bitch, and imagine the bitchiness multiplied out against X machines), but I don't want to buy windows licenses (and I also don't want to pirate software) so where can I pick up some second hand windows 98SE licenses for a small cost? Would it be legal, if I was to advertise I will pay $20 for your win98SE license? Or would I be better off buying X licenses for Micro$oft Super Advanced Multigaming iExecution eServer Special Edition?
Anyway, I am not sure I have even thought through all the issues yet, and I am sure there may be something I have forgotten something, but this is just an idea I had, and the figures work out pretty nicely on paper, for a student income ^_^.
If you have any suggestions, please write me! I will be very interested to hear what you think.
Samuel Williams
coolfr3ak@gmx.net
http://utopia5.mine.nu/"
Is there really a market for internet cafes anymore? They used to be popular when people could not or did not want to afford a decent internet connection at home. While internet cafes are a booming in china, they seem to be on the decline in countries with better infrastructure. Have you investigated if there really is demand for what you are going to do?
Don't Universities offer Internet access to their students anyway?
As far as Univerity-wide gaming bans are concerned, there's always a way around it...
"Why did they cancel my favorite Sci-Fi show? I downloaded ALL the episodes!"
By far the best internet cafe I've been to is one in Cambridge, UK, called CB1.
The reason it was great is that it was a viable business as a cafe, as a second-hand bookshop and as an internet access point, or ANY SINGLE ONE of those.
In fact, the computers almost seemed like an afterthought. The first day I went there, I was greeted by the proprietor behind the bar with a smile and friendly conversation, with no pressure to buy coffee, books or internet time. I stayed for hours, and came back the next day (and the day after, etc.)
I ended up spending most of my summer holiday hanging out there, getting to know the regulars, helping out with all the newbies, playing chess and reading the daily newspaper freely supplied.
A number of the regulars were reasonably big names in the Cambridge internet community, who just found this place to hang out at, where they could check their email occasionally, just in case.
We were all techie types, attracted initially by the internet connectivity (this was back in 1995!), but kept there by the friendly atmosphere. Think of it like 'Central Perk' on 'Friends'.
From what Dan (the proprietor) said, the business was profitable from day one.
In comparison, the worst types of internet cafe are the heavily chromed and exposed cable ducting places like Cyberia, which were sterile, unfriendly places.
I don't think you can make money from internet connectivity alone, but treat it as an added feature to an already viable friendly meeting place and cafe, and you're onto a winner.
Most consumer grade DSL and Cable Acceptable Use Policies prohibit re-selling of the service.
Something for you to think about before you start charging by the hour for bandwidth.
No, it's not.
Asking for information on how to best complete a task is one thing - asking for answers for every significant question relating to setting up a business is quite another.
If he'd asked what sort of connection the hardcore gamers preferred (and why), or what services made people come back, or what games people liked, what drinks people bought, that sort of thing I wouldn't have a problem. But he's looking for all that and then some, plus pricing information on competitors' relationships with suppliers! Clearly, he hasn't thought through a lot of the basics or done the maths.
He's almost asking us to write his businessplan. Sorry, but that's not what Ask Slashdot is for.
Greg
(Inside a nuclear plant)
Aaaarrrggh! Run! The canary has mutated!
while i was in high school, we had a computer store which provided just a lan to play quake, quake2, and starcraft. there were only about 6 of us who went, but since we went everyday we kept the place in business. since you are in a city, it'll be much easier to keep a business. other things to consider are these.
1. High speed connection. the less lag there is the more people will want to play. if people are connecting to a server with 20-30 ping they'll come back if they are hardcore enough.
2. For security in a windows environment check out something like fortress (spelling?) using that, you can restrict access from installing software, blah blah blah. basically it'll save your ass from the liscensing problems.
3. provide a comfortable environment. comfy chairs, well, designed sort of Jazz cafe type thing. Like $tarbuck$ usually has. People will feel more relaxed and will stay longer.
4. Provide the daily news papers, and other various magazines, such as Wired, gaming magazines, and other things of that nature. Also magazines with current events and things.
5. As someone pointed out, an x-terminal environment might work out, but, gaming would probably be an issue. so you possibly consider that for "Dedicated Browser Machines."
6. Software liscensing. As far as I am aware, as long as it is liscenced to ONE pc only, there shouldn't be a problem with letting other people use the PC. Read Mr. Gate'$ article on donating pcs, and if something happens, blame it on him.
It should be the same idea.
7. Provide food, such as bagels, pastries, coffee, and other such drinks that people enjoy.
8. As far as security of the place goes, it's really a matter of what kind of area you live in. If theres a police station across the street, you probably don't need MUCH else. Of course cameras should probably be installed, as well as a safe for liscenses and other things you could get in trouble for not having if they got stolen.
for the record, the place that i hung out at during high school (with 5 other people) had, chips, soda, and some candy bars, 7 computers (one for a dedicated server) and didn't have an internet connection. just the 7 computers on a lan, and we had a blast! I also lived in a very small town (maybe 3000 people)
I write code.