New iMac to be used at our show booth!

[MDLarson]

Well, last Saturday (4-13-2002) I ordered an iMac G4 800 with 512 MB internal RAM for my dad. Actually, it will be for the business too–it will be in our new booth with a local copy of our website for interested visitors.

If anybody knows about shows, attention getters are pretty important. I think this iMac is the ideal show booth computer, with it's swivel arm and neutral colors and whatnot.

It will be my responsibility to modify our website for show use. I'd be interested to know what suggestions you all would have. Like, visual OS X alterations, maybe a replacement 2 button scroll mouse, maybe get a Kensington computer lock thingy… Any suggestions would be great!

BTW, the we are Larson Systems at the Quality Detroit Expo. It ain't no Macworld, but if you happen to be coming, look for our booth!

[dricci]

Well, if you plan on leaving it unattended for even a minute in public, you may want to lock it up. Also, what do you plan to do with it? Show the website? I'm sure it will do just fine.

You also may want to check your HTML and make sure it's optimzied for the internet, not just Internet Explorer. I also believe Mozilla can do full screen Internet, but I've never tried in OS X. That might be kinda cool for a kiosk.

Also, update the (C) date to 2002 at the bottom, it still says 2001.

And you may want to look into a two button mouse with scroll wheel if you're going to be using it at a web kiosk, because it might be easier for people to navigate the internet with that type of mouse if they're used to it.

[Hypernate]

Try to full screen the browser, and make it so they can't get out of it, so the can't destroy our system

[voice-]

Yeah, while I personally can't stand NOT multitasking a Mac, I really think that having them locked in the browser would be a good idea. You're showing off a website, not an iMac.
2-buttoned mice is the way to go too, many will be more comfy with it. Yet, you know you can have both connected at once...newbie computer-users might prefer 1 button. If you don't wanna connect it on the side of the leyboard(big chance of being stolen), the new iMac have 3 USB ports in the back...
Try finding a white 2-button mouse. The last thing you want it for the mouse to ruin the harmony of the iMac and therefor also the site. If you can't find a white one, the blue Logitech MouseMan Wheel(optical) will do. It looks just about as cool as the Mac itself. No drivers needed...
However, if a pro user(or at least a knowlegable) should show, he'd want out of IE and see the site with OmniWeb, Opera, iCab, Mozilla, Netscape and maybe even Chimera...I suggest you make sure the HTML looks as good in others as it does in IE.

[MDLarson]

Thanks for the suggestions (keep 'em coming too).

About the site design and making sure it looks good in non-IE browsers… I know I can (and should) do better in that area. The sad fact is that the vast majority of potential customers of our site run on Windows IE. So, cross-browser compatibility was put at the end of my to-do list.

That said, I will see what I can do for browser checking in the future.

[Matrix Agent]

Also, put IE into full screen mode by pressing Command-B, which i assume you're using. Boy, I wish I was running a stand.

It was funny, when I went to MWNY last year, my friend was most excited to see a cube, rather thqan the new quicksilvers, PBG4 or iBook, all of which he had never seen before (yes, i know the quicksilver was new.)

So mabey if you could get that sheilded SE/30 you could start making crazy business?

[MDLarson]

Well, Apple shipped our iMac yesterday (April 18). Looks like it was made in Taiwan. Anybody have any idea how long it takes to get to Minneapolis from Taiwan? I seem to remember 2-5 days from shipping date?

Also, in response to the suggestion of filling the screen with my web browser, Command-B simply removes the Button Bar, Favorites etc. This doesn't seem like "full screen", but it'd probably be just fine.

[MDLarson]

Forgot to post attachment