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Building an Unattended Computer Presentation?
hastenslowly asks: "I'm a member of a non-profit Association restoring a 1920's gas station, here in the midwest, for National Historic Register status. I'd like to provide an 24/7 'unattended' audio (visual) presentation for visitors using an 'el cheapo' computer, monitor, and mouse. I'd like to connect the entire thing to the doorbell which, when triggered, will start the presentation. Can anyone steer me to some hardware, software (for whatever OS), programming, newsgroup or any other source of info, so I don't re-invent the wheel when I do this?"
Make sure that the mouse has a long cord (so it can be dragged to the left side of the keyboard), or you have some sort of mouselike device (trackball/etc) mounted in the center in front of the keyboard. Otherwise, it is useless to anyone who is left-handed.
Also, something that reboots when it fails would be good. Otherwise, you'll have Blue Screen of Death, Guru (Amiga equivalent) or similar screens eventually.
Do you even need a computer? If this presentation is not interactive, it could be recorded to tape and put in one of those video-display systems like they have had in hardware stores and Sears for years and years.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Mozilla's "kiosk mode" is also intended for just such uses, and worthy cause or not the price is exactly US$0.00.
If all this should have a reason, we would be the last to know.
Try Revolution. It's like Macromedia Director, but it's available for Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, Mac OS, Mac OS X, AIX, Solaris, SunOS, HP UX and SGI Irix