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Q: What is an Internet Kiosk? A: E-commerce application

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:56 am
by Jonah Bron
Hello, World!

Someone emailed me wondering if I know how to make pages for an Internet Kiosk. I went to Wikipedia, and am still not completely sure what it is, or what it is for.

So, my question is: What is it?

Thanks!

Re: Q: What is an Internet Kiosk? A: Unknown

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:59 am
by Jenk
It's a bit of an ambiguous term, but it'll mean some form of customer services page. Which could be (and most probably is) a shopping cart or other e-commerce application.

Re: Q: What is an Internet Kiosk? A: Unknown

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:58 am
by Jonah Bron
Thanks.

You know, Jenk, the lowercase N looks waaaayyyy too much like a lowercase R to have a username like that :wink:

Code: Select all

$jenk = 'Jenk';
$jenk = str_replace('n', 'r', $jenk);
echo $jenk;
:lol:

One more question: I have heard a lot about "e-commerce" applications. What are they?

Thanks again :mrgreen:

Re: Q: What is an Internet Kiosk? A: E-commerce application

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:11 pm
by Jenk
Anything that handles finances online, i.e. anything that requires the user to enter some form of payment details - be it credit cards, or PayPal, or other.

Re: Q: What is an Internet Kiosk? A: E-commerce application

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:39 pm
by Kieran Huggins
http://www.answers.com/kiosk

It's likely just a browser that doesn't allow access to the OS - it shouldn't be any different than writing normal web pages.

XULRunner might have a kiosk mode, take a look!

Re: Q: What is an Internet Kiosk? A: E-commerce application

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:21 pm
by Christopher
Yeah, a kiosk would be any open/public access computer. Typically they are locked down in ways (such as touch-screen rather than keyboard, etc.) to provide only specific applications which are typically shown full-screen. You can put most browsers into full-screen mode and then get input from an some input device. Text input is usually done with an on-screen keyboard.

You see them in shopping areas, museums, etc. where they provide information. ATM's are essentially kiosks as well.

Re: Q: What is an Internet Kiosk? A: E-commerce application

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:40 pm
by Jonah Bron
Thanks. I shall reply, and ask if he means a transaction site, or actual kiosk.

Re: Q: What is an Internet Kiosk? A: E-commerce application

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:25 am
by RobertGonzalez
To follow up on arborint's explanation, if you happen to go to a Walmart or Target (or other large retail outlet) and look for the Baby/Bridal registry or their job application computer, that would be a prime example of a kiosk. You literally cannot do anything except follow the menus on the screen. There is not breaking out of the browser, there is no access to the OS or anything else on the machine. It is you, the machine and the app, and that's it.

Re: Q: What is an Internet Kiosk? A: E-commerce application

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:09 am
by Jenk
It appears my definition of Kiosk differed to the actual definition :lol:

Re: Q: What is an Internet Kiosk? A: E-commerce application

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:16 am
by Kieran Huggins
in Windows, you can actually replace "explorer" as the default shell in one of the config files. When the app shuts down, it signals Windows to do the same.

This technique, in combination with a simple XULRunner app and a WAMP server could be a poor man's kiosk...