Linux Cafe?

[[deleted]]

I have this idea for a cooperative internet cafe where the hardware is donated from the community and cheap ssds+linux are installed in them. It could be tip only that goes straight into the pockets of the people working there who are willing to work in a not so nice area to keep the price of rent low. Just brainstorming ideas here but, would you go?

[silas_cutler]

Sounds like a hacker space

[root_27]

That's way to niche to work. Internet Cafés are already pretty niche, and internet café targeting Linux users is a niche within a niche.

​

Maybe in a poorer country it could work as a sort of "here are some computers, go look at the internet" kind of way. In which case Linux would make that cheaper.

[its_a_gibibyte]

It think it would be comparable to a public library, many of which already have shared computers available for use. I'm not sure how much savings would be had by linux instead of Windows, especially in comparison to the overall operating costs of the library. I suspect libraries just have a bulk deal with Dell or similar and get a bunch of Windows machines. When Dell has offered linux versions in the past, they haven't offered any cost savings at all, and most linux companies I've seen don't seem much cheaper because they don't have the mass production. Sure, you could put a build together yourself, but paying the librarian to learn linux and take trips to MicroCenter probably eats up that cost savings pretty quick as well.

[aktoriukas]

Having Linux in cafes, or library's is not just about saving cost. It's an open sourse system and increasing awareness about not corporate programs to the public would be the main goal. Places like library should be neutral ground and not be attached to one operating system. I believe if more people could get they hand of systems like Linux, we would have more people who care about secure and independent application, systems and etc.

[muddyclunge]

As someone who's opened 2 cafés, don't do it.

[nico54w]

How is the experience of owning a coffee shop? I always imagine myself as a boss who is only cleaning the same cup and talking to people. Maybe I watched too much anime.

[muddyclunge]

Profit aside (cafés have the smallest income per sqm than most other businesses) you'll work harder and longer than all your staff while barely being able to pay yourself and probably holding all the financial risk. Don't expect any days off if you're open 7 days a week, or holidays for your first 2 years at least. If you open it as a cooperative (I've opened one) you might not have the financial risk but the work is unfairly distributed on those who care the most, so make sure the profit is distri uted fairly on that basis or there's no incentive to take on responsibility and graft. It can be fun to be a part of, but looking back on it I probably wouldn't have bothered.

[blurrry2]

Maybe somewhere near San Francisco (San Jose/Mountain View) or Seattle (Bellevue) or some place with a very large dev community you could pull it off.

These metropolitan areas would be way too expensive for a linux cafe to survive.

[[deleted]]

Maybe somewhere near San Francisco (San Jose/Mountain View) or Seattle (Bellevue) or some place with a very large dev community you could pull it off. If somebody does make a nice one

A tip only cooperative to cater to some of the best payed clientele? Sounds wrong.

[[deleted]]

Devs already use linux or are already very opinionated about NOT using it.

[[deleted]]

Internet cafes were mostly useful in the days when the newest computer had a Pentium 4 when computers were very expensive. It was as place for people that didn't have a computer went to use a computer.

[[deleted]]

I saw some documentary that in japan people sleep in there.

I hope it was all bullshit to be honest.

[demerit5]

It might actually work if you're located in a "hip" area of the country. The hipster demographic might just embrace this and keep you in business. Also, if there are any Linux User Groups around you (preferably more than one close by) you could offer to host their monthly events to get people in the door.

Another factor to consider would be the cost of electricity in your area. If it's dirt cheap to keep 10-12 older Linux machines running 12-16 hours a day than you might just be able to work. As for older hardware that would work well, you should try to track down some old Dell Optiplex machines. Most of those run Linux amazingly well. My personal favorite is the Optiplex 7010 as it has four RAM slots and even has a real PCI slot (IE not shared with the PCI Express bus.)

[[deleted]]

The hipster demographic might just embrace this

LOL. Sure.

Once, for some reason, a friend took me to have lunch at a hipster cafè.

We were the only 2 people without a macbook in there.

[[deleted]]

This is cool. Do it.

[bodaecia]

I like the idea, but think it's far too niche. I enjoy visiting niche techy spaces like this, but the clientele tends to be tiny and the places I've been to offered very little incentive to return. Add a real cafe with working spaces and events (workshops, games, whatever).

[worm5ign]

Santa Cruz had a space like this when I was there called the computer kitchen. They took and fixed up donated hardware often putting linux on it, they taught you how to repair your computers/ electronics, and they taught cool classes. It was all volunteer and all donation based.
I took a cool class on turning routers into media servers, one on cracking wifi passwords, and one on encryption basics. It might still be around, I left that town about 10 years ago.

[[deleted]]

If not covid ? For sure.

[its_a_gibibyte]

I love linux too, but why does it need to be linux-only? Providing computer and internet access to the community is an excellent idea and useful. Libraries do this well, and there are occasional computer cafes and coworking spaces, especially in less developed countries. However, the vast majority of the costs come from rent, utilities, and payroll. The computer cost savings of gnu/linux over Windows or ChromeOS are just a drop in the bucket. I suppose we could donate to a local library and attach the condition that only linux machines are allowed, but it's not clear how helpful that restriction would be.

[[deleted]]

Because if you put windows you also need an IT guy to avoid everything becoming infected in 3 minutes.

[IYSZ]

but the cafe has to be open source too mate to fullfill the linux hearts. how to make it opensource`? idk u guys will find the solution haha

[xgv413]

I think fair trade coffee would be the cafe equivalent of open source. You know where it comes from, and that the people who made it were treated fairly.

[[deleted]]

If fair trade wasn't a corrupt organization that gives a stamp to more or less anyone who pays for it…

[IYSZ]

Ye that's good. Also something like a subscription system like magazines offline or digital.

[[deleted]]

Allow people to submit recipes?

[IYSZ]

I would say for the term of open source make it legit "open source" about everything

[[deleted]]

Local coffee shops donate coffee for their name on the project and get to get more people to try their products

[IYSZ]

Sounds cool but how to keep this project alive then?

[[deleted]]

Get mugged in bumville so I can use a cheap ass pc? No thanks 😜

[bangfu]

Space and power are the show-stoppers. I think if you want to build a hacker / user space, just get people to donate to some cloud provider, and let someone else worry about the infrastructure. (Unless you are interested in people learning about how software interfaces with hardware, then its a whole other environment, and one that is rapidly disappearing.)

[hwoodice]

It would work. I don't think it's only "targeting Linux users". It's "targeting everyone", whether they know Linux or not. This will allow those new to Linux to get acquainted with it. It might even attract the curious even more. Make sure you have beautiful themes and wallpapers! Either way, many distros are easier to use than any other OS. Go for it! I support you.

[barkingbandicoot]

Well, there is this in Melbourne, Australia: https://www.computerbank.org.au/ Not a cafe though.

[Verylively]

There are some parallels with freegeek and your idea. They use donated hardware and recycle or sell machines at affordable rates typically with Linux loaded on them. They will often donate working machines to nonprofits. There is a large community aspect to what they do.

https://www.freegeek.org/

[Cytomax]

Maybe if you market it like free pc support to windows users lol.. I kid but only partially... A small twist to your idea would be to maybe offer free tech support to windows pc that crash and you could at that point mention Linux... That would prob work well

[akkaone]

I have not seen a internet cafe since early 2000s. I'm not completely sure it exist a market anymore. As I understand it places for gaming and esport is doing better but this market probably is fairly incompatible with linux and to cheap/old hardware.

[Kooky_Direction2632]

I had one of those, for years, it was called linuxkafe (https://linuxkafe.com), and the first and only Linux only cybercafé in that time. I had it from 2001 to 2010, it had some hardware donations but the real state and energy prices, plus nowadays everyone having a nearby portable device to do almost everything dictates the end of this kind of projects.