Using Userful's unique Desktop Multiplier software DiscoverStation lets ten users to work from a single PC. DiscoverStation is the world's quickest, easiest, and most cost effective way to deploy computers onsite. This application guide focuses on the features and benefits of DiscoverStation into the following areas: registration, demos, training, voting, Internet Cafes, etc.

1.1 Portability and Set-up

All ten stations and the 1-Box can easily be transported in a small car.
No technical personnel are needed. All the software is either pre loaded by Userful; can be saved from the web with the "snapshot" feature; or can be accessed via an onsite network connection. Simply plug the stations into the 1-Box and connect the 1-Box to the power and optionally the Internet and printers. DiscoverStation® auto-detects the network, then makes sure you can get through to the Internet.
Compare this to the headaches of transporting, setting up, and testing a traditional network.

1.2 Secure and safe operation

Eliminates costly and disruptive virus outages. The system is immune to Windows Outlook and Office viruses.
Tamperproof: The robust firewall and system security blocks Intruders, Worms and Trojans.
The redundant hard disk ensures that even a rare event like a hard disk failure won't interrupt your operations.
Protects user privacy: Clicking the Exit button automatically clears all personal information and station modifications, including browser history, personal files, cookies, etc
Toll-Free support, and next-day onsite couriered replacements.
Reliable 24/7-operation.

1.3 Easy Setup

The system can run up to 10 stations/screens at once. However you need not connect all screens for all situations. Simply connect the number of screens you need and leave the others in the box. DiscoverStation®'s software automatically handles however many screens you have connected so you do not have to adjust anything, simply plug in the ones you need.

DiscoverStation® comes with a laminated graphical "Quick Setup Sheet" to guide you through the quick and easy setup process. Setup typically takes 10-20 minutes.

1.4 Saves on investment

Costs 50% less than 10 traditional PCs.
Realize additional substantial ongoing savings on:
- Freight and Shipping (just 1-Box to transport);
- Network set-up and tear down;
- Staffing and tech-support (no system administration required, simply plug in Ethernet and printer and turn it on);
- Connectivity at venues or conference centers. DiscoverStation® requires only a single IP address and this alone can save up to $1,000 per event on Internet connectivity charges
- Peripherals: all stations can share a single printer and scanner. No need for to set up printer sharing or a print server.
Comes pre-bundled with over $3,000 worth of public access management software.
Investment includes:
- DiscoverStation® Appliance plus 10 keyboards and optical mice
- Software and manuals.
- Works with ordinary VGA monitors (min. 1024x768, 60Hz). [These are not included]
- Free updates and support for 1-year. Purchase or Lease.
Your entire 1-box costs can be saved by using it at a single event -see the example given below.

1.5 Features & Benefits (DiscoverStation®)

Complete Care
Always Up to Date	Software upgrades and security patches are seamlessly installed by Userful over the Internet
Customizable	Offer different applications, Internet filtering levels, and time limits to different groups of users.
Usage Statistics	System owners can view usage charts for their DiscoverStation®s from any web-browser.
Legal Protection	Click-Through Acceptable Use Policy ensures that all users agree to the system owner's terms of use.
24/7 Monitoring	Userful's Network Operations Center remotely monitors your DiscoverStation®s for unusual system activity or downtime, resolving issues as needed.
Complete Support	No need to install or upgrade software. DiscoverStation®s are fully maintained by Userful including all upgrades. Next-day couriered replacement hardware or onsite standby replacements are available as options. Userful takes complete responsibility for restoring your DiscoverStation®s in the unlikely event of system failures resulting from malicious users, viruses, or hackers.
Predictable Costs	Per-station monthly fee covers your complete Total Cost of Ownership, including software rental, upgrades, system monitoring, maintenance, and hardware support plan, freeing you to provide best of breed public access while preserving cash and precious IT resources.
Centralized Administrative Control	Easily monitored and customized from any browser.
Complete Security
Virtually Virus Immune	Eliminates costly and disruptive virus outages. No need to download anti-virus patches. DiscoverStation® is immune to all Windows ®, Outlook and Office viruses.
Robust Firewall & System Security	Blocks Intruders, including Worms and Trojans, from accessing your DiscoverStation® and/or snooping on your users.
Configurable Internet Filtering	Reduces inappropriate use and limits users' exposure to undesirable Internet content. Easily customized: Choose from several preset severity levels or choose the content categories (e.g. gambling, pornography, etc.), file-types (e.g. MP3, EXE, etc.), and keyword combinations you want to block. Supports both "White" and "Black" lists.
Fewer Components to Secure Against Theft
Authentication	Optionally require authentication for certain session types (e.g., via a valid password or bar-code number). (Consulting & integration fees may apply).
Privacy Protection	Automatically clears all personal information and station modifications between users, including browser history, personal files, cookies, etc..
Auto-Logout	Inactivity timeout protects the privacy of users who leave their stations without logging out.
Tamperproof yet Flexible	Robust cleanup ensures a consistent "clean slate" for all users -no "rebooting" required. "Smart Security" prevents system changes and unwanted software installs, but does not impede legitimate work.
Complete Solution
Multi Lingual	Users can choose their preferred language of work.
Accessibility Options	Special accessibility features for visually impaired users.
Comprehensive Suite of Applications	Full Office Suite, Email, Web Browser, Photo Suite, CD-Burning, Virus Protection, Time Limit Manager, Project Manager, Popular Browser Plug-ins, and more. Reads and writes most common file formats including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, and WordPerfect.
Multiple Session Types	Supports a variety of session types including: Browser, Kids Station, Desktop, Card Catalogue
Web Page Caching	Accelerates web browsing and reduces bandwidth consumption.
File-Storage	Users can save files to a CD, floppy disk, or temporary storage area on the DiscoverStation®.
Time Limit Manager	Prevents users from monopolizing the stations by limiting session length.
Fewer Peripherals Required	A single printer and scanner can easily be shared by all stations. No need for to set up printer sharing or a print server.
Advance Network Detection	Connecting DiscoverStation® to the Internet is easy and painless. DiscoverStation® auto-detects the network, then makes sure you can get through to the Internet.
Custom Branding	Custom Flash animated screen saver attracts users and promotes your organization. Organization's colors, and logo can appear in the browser. (Only available in DiscoverStation®)

1.6 Hardware

DiscoverStation®s are built using premium quality hardware to withstand the harsh rental environment. All components come with a 2-year warranty. Each DiscoverStation® includes a 2^nd backup hard drive in the highly unlikely event of hard-drive failure. Userful covers 2-way ground shipping on any RMA'd components, however, we also keep an inventory of backup systems that we can courier via overnight express, should the need arise.

2 Extras

Numerous extras are available to ensure that the DiscoverStation® provides maximum visibility for event organizers or sponsors. Customizations are archived for 1 year and can be re-used within that time period for a nominal "install fee" (in lieu of the full re-branding fee). Restoration of the "Default Branding" is included in the re-branding fee. Below is a description of Userful's customization services:

2.1 Re-branding & Customization

The following features can be customized for specific events for a re-branding fee. Once the event is over, the DiscoverStation® reverts to the default branding.

Flash Animated Advertisement (up to 15 seconds Macromedia's Flash Player 6.0 [Linux], no sound), that plays at the start of each session. See below for custom flash animation development.
Desktop background (1024x768 image -JPEG/GIF/PNG format)
Browser bookmarks (List of URLs & page titles)
Browser homepage (URL of StartPage, or zipped directory of files (beginning with index.html, if you would like it stored directly on the hard-drive)
"Moving Logo" Screen Saver Company logo (preferably in Vector format AI/CDR/WMF/EMF/EPS/SWF/FLA) to be incorporated into a custom branded screensaver. See below for development of more complex custom screensavers.
Acceptable use policy (plain text or html format). Userful's default policy may be used as a template.
Maximum Session Length (maximum length of time users can work before being logged out automatically)
Privacy Protector a pre-set threshold of inactivity (no keyboard our mouse activity) after which the user is logged out automatically.
Web Filtering can be turned on or off. (See below for customizing Userful's default web filtering settings)

2.2 Custom Flash Start-up Advertisement

DiscoverStation®'s premium advertising and branding capability lies in the 10 to 15 second custom animation that begins each session. Users must view this animation prior to accessing the station. Userful's design team can develop this interactive advertisement with the customer, or we can integrate a pre-existing animation provided it is compatible with Macromedia's Flash Player 6.0. If the customer or a 3^rd party provides the animation, Userful needs to receive the animation 10 business days before the event to ensure adequate testing. The animation should be silent.

2.3 Custom Web Filtering Set-up

Customers may wish to customize Userful's default web-filtering and blocking settings to ensure suitable protection and an optimal experience for event attendees.

Userful's customization team will work with the sponsoring organization via phone and email to ensure the settings for blacklists, white-lists, content filtering, ad blocking, download blocking, accurately reflect their needs for the event. Customization of the message or advertisement that gets displayed in place of the blocked content is also included. We recommend that this message communicate the sponsoring organization's concern for Internet safety and appropriate use. More information filtering can be found at http://www.userful.com/products/filtering?p=cafe

2.4 Hot Prospects List

This additional service help DiscoverStation® users collect valuable marketing data. The browser start page or start-up flash advertisement can solicit user input via an HTML or Flash form. At the end of the show the customer will receive a spreadsheet of "hot prospects" or "draw entries".

2.5 Usage Analysis Report

A detailed report of Internet café usage throughout the conference. This report includes a number of charts and graphs correlating information such as number of café visitors, length of use, websites they visited, time of day, etc.. This report is in PDF format and will be emailed within 1 week of the event.

2.6 Custom Homepage Design

The browser homepage (or StartPage) is premium real-estate for café sponsors. Userful's design team understands the busy mindset of conference goers, and can design a unique homepage with an advertising message specific to the conference.

2.7 Custom Screensaver Design

This goes beyond the moving logo custom screensaver included "Re-branding & Customizations" and adds a custom flash animation/attract loop which runs on any stations not in use and is optimized for minimal CPU usage. Due to this last requirement, we use custom screensavers developed by 3^rd parties.

2.8 Custom Desktop Background Design

An artful desktop background using the sponsor's logo and/or marketing message.

3 Promoting the Internet Café at a Conference

Both sponsors and conference organizers want to ensure as many delegates as possible take advantage of this free Internet service. We advise the following promotion:

An ad in the conference program stating "Come check your email at the Internet Café sponsored by XYZ Company".
Twice-daily announcements over the PA system "Attention delegates, free Internet and email access is available throughout the conference at the Internet Café (Courtesy of XYZ Company, located at booth ### on the tradeshow floor)."
Mention during the opening plenary remarks "XYZ Company has provided the Internet Café for the Conference and invites all attendees to stop by for free email and Internet access."
Two large banner signs at key traffic areas promoting the Internet Café and inviting delegates to "come check your email". Where possible these signs should include maps and/or arrows pointing to the Internet Café location.
Tradeshow floor plan map should label the location as "Internet Café by XYZ Company" (or if space permits "Internet Café, free email access by XYZ Company")

4 The Best Booth at the Show (Sales Pitch for Internet Café Sponsorship)

4.0.1 Steady Stream of Customers

Internet Café sponsorship is perhaps the strongest and most cost effective marketing presence on the exhibit floor. Traditional booths need gimmicks to draw in prospects. The Internet Café attracts a steady stream of customers, and is often the first destination during a conference break. It is a natural meeting place, a popular resource, and a vital facility for those who need to stay in touch during the show. Located in the Exhibit Hall and available to all registered attendees, the Internet Café offers a comfortable setting for checking email or accessing the Internet.

4.0.2 More than just a Branding

A full screen custom Flash animation greets each Café visitor with a visually rich 15-second exposure to your marketing message. From here users can view product demos, register for a draw or discount, or start using the Internet. The browser start-page, home page, and bookmarks all link to web pages you specify, drawing users further into your products and services. Product brochures can be placed at the base of each monitor, offering users an easy way to gain a more in-depth understanding of your products and services. Company staff can be on hand to help users, chat with those waiting in line, serve refreshments, answer questions, and walk users through online demos.

Branding of the screensaver, desktop background, and Café signage add the finishing touches to a professional and impressive company presence.

4.0.3 Extra Services

Userful's design department can help develop a custom Flash animation that communicates your message, accentuates your brand, and provides sign up opportunities for prospects. Custom-designed signage and enclosures can further strengthen your presence.

You may want to consider provisioning refreshments (either for purchase or for free). Thus making your sponsored Café the ideal location for grabbing a snack or cup of coffee, chatting with your friends and colleagues, or just relaxing.

4.0.4 Detailed Statistics

Userful offers additional services to help you collect valuable marketing data. At the end of the show you'll receive a spreadsheet of "hot prospects" and draw entries along with a detailed usage report. You'll see how many people used the Café and for how long, and what sites they visited while at the Café.

4.0.5 Cost Effective (The Bottom Line)

	Traditional Booth	Internet Café Sponsorship
Café Sponsorship	--	$10,000
Booth Space Rental	$4,000	--
Booth (Design & Return Shipping)	$20,000	--
Airfare & Staff Salaries (to communicate message and demo software or website)	$10,000	Marketing message and demo options embedded in flash animation
Brochures	$2,000	$2,000
Souvenirs, Gimmicks, and Draws	$4,000	Naturally draws steady stream of customers
Entering prospect data (from business cards)	$500	Hot prospects or draw entrants have already typed in their contact details at the Café
Prospect Base	Whomever Strolls By	Technology Enthusiasts & Internet Savvy Attendees
Total Cost	$38,500	$12,000

5 Userful Guarantees & Support Levels

5.1 Software Guarantees

As the only Public Access company to stand 100% behind our product, we're proud of our simple and comprehensive guarantee: in the unlikely event of an outage, regardless of source, we will restore all software and customizations on your DiscoverStation®s at no cost to you. There is no fine print. This covers outages from viruses, hackers, crackers, worms, denial-of-service attacks, Trojans, abusive users, and even careless administrators. The Userful support contract guarantees you will never again need to worry about maintaining or fixing the software on your public access computers.

5.2 Support Options & Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Complete hardware/software support and licensing for the first year comes with purchase. This means that Userful takes responsibility for all components purchased from Userful. Typically, these are the central 1-Box Computer, keyboards and mice. At most, the administrator would have to physically swap in replacement components in the unlikely event of equipment failure, but would normally not have to do anything to maintain the system.

Note: Support does not include replacement or service on monitors, printers, or scanners. While we can supply monitors and printers as a convenience to customers, customers can also opt to order these components from other suppliers. If a customer does order monitors or printers through us, we will arrange for warranty replacement and service on behalf of the customer during the manufacturers warranty period, only. Manufacturer's warranties vary between one and three years depending on make and model. If you choose to supply your own monitors, printers, and scanners, please note the following on hardware compatibility. DiscoverStation® monitors must support a minimum resolution of 1024x768 @ 60 Hz. DiscoverStation® is compatible with most, but not all printers and scanners. Be sure to verify make and model compatibility with your account rep prior to purchasing a printer or scanner.

Hardware. Replacement parts or unit sent out same day. During first year this is done without fee and Userful will arrange for return shipment to our repair facility, have our carriers provide the appropriate shipping materials and pay shipping. After the first year customer pays freight and cost of repair or replacement. Customer agrees to insure all shipments to Userful or pay for units damaged in transit or not received.
Software Updates and Patches. Userful distributes new features and updates on a continual and regular basis. Once they are released and pass quality assurance these features are installed automatically on your DiscoverStation® the next time it is connected to the Internet.
New Features and Enhancements. Suggestions for features and enhancements are always appreciated and carefully considered, and are often integrated into our development plans. Customers who face immediate time lines should consider contracting Userful to undertake the work as custom development.

5.3 Userful Support contacts

Online Support Information: www.userful.com/support

Phone Support: (403) 289-2177 Toll-free: (1-866-USERFUL (873-7385)

E-mail Support: Submit a bug report

6 Comparisons with other systems

6.1 DiscoverStation® compared to Thin-Clients and PCs

Introduction: Multi-user Desktop Computing Innovation: DiscoverStation® turns 1 computer into 10 by allowing up to 10 monitors, keyboards, and users to share a single high-performance PC (configured with extra video cards). This unique computing solution performs better and costs less than PCs or thin clients. It is built on Linux and can reduce by up to 90% the number of desktop computer boxes you need to purchase, deploy, maintain and update in your network. This approach achieves dramatic results on the age-old problem of "how to reduce both upfront and long term costs without compromising performance, usability, or scalability", reducing costs by as much as 70% while actually improving performance.

Different from thin-client: 1-Box technology should not be mistaken with thin-client technology. With thin-client, users remotely connect to a central shared computer that does the "thinking" work. With thin-client each user still needs their own specialized computer to talk with the server and control the user's monitor, keyboard, and mouse. In the 1-Box approach, up to 10 keyboards monitors and mice plug directly into the central computer. This significantly improves performance while reducing cost and complexity. See the chart below for a comparison of the 1-Box, Thin-client, and PC approaches to computing.

Facilities Savings: In addition to savings on power consumption and air-conditioning, 1-Box reduces or eliminates the need for costly infrastructure upgrades to accommodate computers. For example with 1-Box, a large computer lab can be implemented without needing to upgrade electric wiring, and one only needs a power outlet and Ethernet cable or wireless card. The potentially savings on infrastructure costs alone are in the thousands of dollars.

Centralized Control & Freedom: Userful's solution includes web-based remote update and management, assuring you retain centralized monitoring and control over your geographically distributed DiscoverStation®s. Userful uses the Linux operating system that offers freedom, affordability, interoperability, and robust security.

Better than PCs or Thin-Clients: The 1-Box approach provides lower costs, better performance, and better scalability than either PCs or thin-clients. Sometimes referred to as "zero-client", 1-Box combines the manageability and long term cost advantages of thin-clients with the performance, speed, familiarity, flexibility, upgradeability, and scalability of PCs.

6.2 Comparison with Thin Clients & PCs

		1-Box Approach	Thin Client	Desktop PCs
Keyboards & Monitors		10	10	10
Servers		0	1	0
Computer Boxes Required over 5 years	Purchase	1	10 thin-clients¹ 1 server	10 PCs
Computer Boxes Required over 5 years	Upgrade	1	1 server	10 PCs
Software Installations		1	1	10
Maintenance Free			Clients Server
User Interface Responsiveness		Excellent	Moderate	Excellent
Rich Media Performance		Excellent	Poor	Excellent
Power Consumption		Very Low	Moderate	High
Supports thin client protocols
Upfront Costs		Very Low	High²	Moderate
Ongoing Costs		Low	Moderate	High
Allows staged adoption
Usable during network outage

6.3 Comparison with a typical Computer Vendor

	DiscoverStation®	Typical Vendor
Language Support	Currently has support for 14 languages³	Choose whether you want your system in French or English
Hardware support	Optional 3 years replacement	Optional 3 years replacement
Software support	Complete Coverage. full Software Support, latest security patches and software updates, and Software Guarantees**	Do it yourself. Not public access specialists.
Lock down & Public Access Security	Included & Guaranteed⁴	Do it yourself, separate vendors. Licenses can cost as much as the PC itself. See Appendix
Usage & Re-branding Available	(extra fees may apply)
Integration with your ILS
Time Limit & Privacy Protection
Company Dedicated to Public Access?
Software Included	Office Suite, Photo Editor, Project Management, Web Page Editor, and Extras	Software applications must be purchased, installed, and upgraded separately.

7 1-Box Network Diagram

Desktop Computing Simplified: DiscoverStation®s unique 1-Box Network works up to 10 times harder to make your life easier with its efficient, shared component design. DiscoverStation®s are self-maintaining. Personalize yours organization wide with our simple web interface.

1Thin-clients have a longer lifespan than either DiscoverStation®s or standard PCs and can typically outlive several server upgrades.

2Deployment costs for thin clients are "high" owing to the fact that that on top of purchasing thin clients (which typically cost as much or more than a full fledged PC) there are also substantial server farm and software requirements to support these clients. The upfront cost of a thin client deployment can be brought to "Low" by using obsolete recycled PCs for clients and Open Source software on the server instead of Terminal Services products from Citrix or Microsoft

3The level of support varies: English and Chinese have 100% support.

4 *** Details are given in the support agreement.

Notes: Copyright © 2002-2004 e-complex inc. All rights reserved. Userful has intellectual property rights relating to technology embodied in this product. In particular, and without limitation, these intellectual property rights may include one or more patents or pending patent applications in Canada, the U.S. And other countries. This product is distributed under licenses restricting its use, copying, distribution and de-compilation. No part of this product may be reproduced in any form by any means without prior written authorization of Userful and its licensors, if any. Third-party software, including font technology, is copyrighted and licensed from Userful suppliers. The documentation is provided "as is" and all express or implied conditions, representations and warranties, including any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement, are disclaimed, except to the extent that such disclaimers are held to be legally invalid.

Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Motif and UNIX are registered trademarks of The Open Group.

Intel Pentium Itanium and Celeron are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. AMD, AMD Athlon, AMD Duron, and AMD K6 are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Netscape is a registered trademark of AOL/Time Warner. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. SSH and Secure Shell are trademarks of SSH Communications Security, Inc. FireWire is a trademark of Apple Computer Corporation. Pharos, Fortres, SAM and EnvisionWare are the trademarks of Pharos Systems, Fortres Grand Corp., Comprise Technologies Inc. and EnvisionWare Inc. respectively, CybraryN, CybrarySafe, CybraryPRINT and CybrarySite are the trademarks of Computers by Design Inc. All other trademarks belong to their respective holders.

DiscoverStation for Portable Internet Cafes

Application Guide

March 2004

Table of Contents

1 Features of DiscoverStation®