[GNUz] netcafe news

[Rik Tindall]

Many thanks Nick for the most judicious reply.

Nick Rout wrote:

>Molten Media provide a useful service to the community in storing, and
>sometimes making useful, heaps of old junk that no one wants in their
>house or their landfill. However their level of service and computer
>knowledge is somewhet less than desirable IMHO.
>  
>
If we can't join them, they would seem quite easily beaten in many areas.

>I am not sure what this "lease space" is, but IMHO their premises are
>very dingy and a bit off the beaten track - a cafe requires foot
>traffic, foot traffic, and one more thing - foot traffic!
>  
>
Have a look at the green building right of the MM shopfront ( 190 
Wordsworth St) - MM lease it all, but wish to retain storage out back & 
sub-lease this shopfront + more @ c$300 neg. These offices are quite 
smart, separate, and perfectly sized & priced (min$1000 I have been 
cited for any other lease). I had been searching the area for available 
sites at the time when I came across the MM opening.

There are a bunch of reasons for trialling this near-city/GassonSt 
location (free parking, light industrial area where workers check mail 
@lunch/5pm too?) - mainly that we have good links with Sydenham now that 
could be built upon.

>I am not aware of how you plan to generate revenue from this place,
>  
>
 From submitted proposal document:

"Revenue will be developed from:

    *

      a wider *sponsorship* net (incl. e.g. IBM, Hewlett Packard,
      Novell, etc.) with brand display

    *

      *Internet* Cafe use (industrial area lunchtime traffic, casual
      callers - moderately busy road near Colombo Street shops in
      Sydenham, Molten Media clientele, Sydenham Community groups ...)

    *

      *tuition* - casual callers and group bookings, WINZ clients,
      Molten staff?, business, corporate, ...

    *

      system* sales* - Linux desktops ready to take home or from
      build-your-own training, custom-made servers, routers and
      firewalls, network setup, etc. Donor materials are expected to be
      numerable.

    *

      *repairs* - Linux system installation and maintenance"

>other than the sale of coffee. Some ideas, and my reactions, are:
>
>1. tutoring - pay by the hour or the class - problem is you need someone
>to do it, and thats not the person sitting at the front desk, as they
>need to be keeping other customers happy.
>
>  
>
In the long term, yes.

>2. troubleshooting & repair, ditto, but at least it can be done in the
>evening when front of house is closed. However we all know how long you
>can be screwing about with any computer getting it going, can you match
>the hourly rate and overall bill to customer's expectations on price?
>  
>
A commercial footing would be something we'd start working towards, from 
a voluntary & training basis. Simple, guaranteeable setups to begin 
with, rather than sophisticated stuff.

>3. Selling media (CD's, DVD's distros etc) - but thats peanuts,
>impossible to really make money on.
>
>  
>
Not planned.

>I like the community style of gnu and linux, but when you get into
>paying a commercial rent, you gotta bring some bucks in. What is a
>sponsor going to see for his $300 per week (and thats not the end of the
>costs). 
>
c$360-380 p.w. would keep a *nix demo/repair/surf shop open, in this 
context, I estimate.
'Linux' et al promotion would be done consistently & professionally, 
from this base.

>I am willing myself to put in some time on legal work, looking
>at a lease or whatever, but not unlimited hours.
>  
>
Wonderful, thanks for that. We may yet get there. E.g. I have all but 
secured placement of one FOSS surf box in the Green Room (16 Bedford 
Row), on which to start prototyping services available to the public. 
Suitable recycling premises may also result from that, which would alter 
the need for sponsors.

>But first I'd like to know the "business plan" - it doesn't have to
>reflect a "business model", but it does have to be "businesslike".
>  
>
A one-page proposal, with references, has been subitted by InfoHelp 
(me). Requesting that this please be kept private (author's copyright) 
until further notice, I will attach said submitted document copy for 
offlist requesters.

>Cheers
>
>Rik
>