[SLUG] Linux Print Payment Solutions
Hi All, I'm trying to find a Linux based solution that enables users to pay for print jobs. Solutions exist for Windows and Mac but I can't find anything suitable for Linux. Perhaps my Google foo is weak, but I can't seem to find anything that fits the bill. The closest is a library system which allows staff to view print jobs in CUPS and select which jobs to print - but that's not really useful for a public printing station. I have been talking to one company that has Windows and Mac solutions and would be willing to assist with opening up their API to provide development of a Linux solution that works with their hardware, but to achieve this I'd need to interrupt the printing process as follows : User clicks print, adjusts details in dialog box and hits ok / print which would ordinarily send it off to the printer. Instead of sending the print job to the printer a second dialog box would pop up and the user would enter a pin code from a ticket they've purchased. The dialog would then need to talk to the print server via web services to verify the pin code an ensure there's enough credit before allowing the print job to continue. If the user then clicks ok another web service call is made then the print job that was sent through is printed and the funds are deducted from their ticket. Any thoughts / suggestion / experiences would be much appreciated. Cheers, Paul -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Linux Print Payment Solutions
Hi Paul, I'm trying to find a Linux based solution that enables users to pay for print jobs. Solutions exist for Windows and Mac but I can't find anything suitable for Linux. Perhaps my Google foo is weak, but I can't seem to find anything that fits the bill. The closest is a library system which allows staff to view print jobs in CUPS and select which jobs to print - but that's not really useful for a public printing station. Look at Papercut. We use this in education to control what the kids print. We give them a starter credit ($10) and when they run out, they have to toddle off to the office to pay some more money and then we top them up from the receipt. We charge 10c per BW page, 15c per double sided BW page and 50c per page for colour. The latter slows 'em down. We also limit them to a maximum of 5 pages per job. Anything over that, the job gets dropped. Stops the little darlin's from sending a 1000 page print job down. Papercut is a brilliant product with lots of controls, history and graphing and should be perfect for what you need. Best of all, they have a version for 32 and 64 bit Linux. Trial download as follows http://www.papercut.com/download/ng/ . Unfortunately, unless you are limited to 5 users, the program costs but in our scenario, it is worth every penny. Regards, Rick -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Re: WordPress, PHP ... Re: Ubuntu 10.04
Hi I think this one died a while ago but after some months I have finally been able to get my Wordpress blog running again http://sleepypenguin.homelinux.org/blog/ Finally sorted it out with 'apt-get install wordpress' which most likely installed a configuration file that I didn't know about. After I disabled a couple of incompatible plugins that Wordpress 3.0 didn't like the content of the pages came back up again. Wordpress is installed from the source from the Wordpress site. Now I just have to work out why it is that web pages are so slow to download from this box. Not sure what that's about. DNS configuration seems to be okay and there is 2 Megabits of bandwidth on my home line. Shouldn't be any problems. Thanks for everyone's helpful comments. -- Richard http://www.sheflug.org.uk -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Re: WordPress, PHP ... Re: Ubuntu 10.04
On 30/06/2010, at 6:54 AM, Richard Ibbotson wrote: Now I just have to work out why it is that web pages are so slow to download from this box. Not sure what that's about. DNS configuration seems to be okay and there is 2 Megabits of bandwidth on my home line. Shouldn't be any problems. Both google and yahoo have firefox plugins that might help diagnose the problem. One is called yslow (I think that's yahoo's) and googles is speed test toolbar or something obscure like that. Does the page wait for a few seconds on a blank screen and then download quickly, or does it start downloading straight away but slowly? -- http://chesterton.id.au/blog/ http://barrang.com.au/linux/ -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Re: WordPress, PHP ... Re: Ubuntu 10.04
On Tuesday 29 June 2010 22:31:03 Michael Chesterton wrote: Both google and yahoo have firefox plugins that might help diagnose the problem. One is called yslow (I think that's yahoo's) and googles is speed test toolbar or something obscure like that. Does the page wait for a few seconds on a blank screen and then download quickly, or does it start downloading straight away but slowly? Kind of a bit of both. I can hear the box grinding trying to deliver a web page and then for about 5 or 15 seconds something is happening. Doesn't matter where I download the page from or which operating system I use to view the site. Same result. There is 1Gb of RAM in the box which should be enough for a machine that delivers about two web pages a week. Kind of wait for seconds and then download slowly. Annoying problem. -- Richard http://www.sheflug.org.uk -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Re: WordPress, PHP ... Re: Ubuntu 10.04
Hi Richard, On Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:09:16 am Richard Ibbotson wrote: On Tuesday 29 June 2010 22:31:03 Michael Chesterton wrote: Both google and yahoo have firefox plugins that might help diagnose the problem. One is called yslow (I think that's yahoo's) and googles is speed test toolbar or something obscure like that. Does the page wait for a few seconds on a blank screen and then download quickly, or does it start downloading straight away but slowly? Kind of a bit of both. I can hear the box grinding trying to deliver a web page and then for about 5 or 15 seconds something is happening. Doesn't matter where I download the page from or which operating system I use to view the site. Same result. There is 1Gb of RAM in the box which should be enough for a machine that delivers about two web pages a week. Kind of wait for seconds and then download slowly. Annoying problem. I'd suggest the WP-Cache or WP-Super-Cache plugins, which precompile the php to html so the server doesn't have to recompile the pages on each access. The GZIP-Output wordpress plugin is also recommended. Cheers Mike -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Re: WordPress, PHP ... Re: Ubuntu 10.04
On Wednesday 30 June 2010 00:25:24 Mike Lampard wrote: I'd suggest the WP-Cache or WP-Super-Cache plugins, which precompile the php to html so the server doesn't have to recompile the pages on each access. The GZIP-Output wordpress plugin is also recommended. I'll try those. Meanwhile I've been hacking the DNS and bind9 configuration. Looks like it might have taken a second or two off the download time. More like downloading a web page from planet earth rather than the moon :) http://sleepypenguin.homelinux.org/blog/ I think I can get back to writing something now. Must remember to include a cricket section. -- Richard http://www.sheflug.org.uk -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Hardware recommendations
Hi all, My mother-in-law has been using a Shuttle style PC running Ubuntu for a number of years and that machine has just died. Anybody have any recommendations for a small form-factor machine (shuttle sized or even mac-mini style) that can be bought without paying the windows tax? Sydney local preferred but open to other options. Cheers, Erik -- -- Erik de Castro Lopo http://www.mega-nerd.com/ -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Hardware recommendations
Zazz.com.au has ubuntu installed pc's from time to time. They seem to be ex-leases, form factor is usually smallish. Although you have to wait for them to come around for sale :) Dean Erik de Castro Lopo wrote: Hi all, My mother-in-law has been using a Shuttle style PC running Ubuntu for a number of years and that machine has just died. Anybody have any recommendations for a small form-factor machine (shuttle sized or even mac-mini style) that can be bought without paying the windows tax? Sydney local preferred but open to other options. Cheers, Erik -- http://fragfest.com.au -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Hardware recommendations
Hi Erik, I'm a computer dealer and a reseller for Altech and various other suppliers. I can get most anything. Have a look at kits at the address below... http://www.altech.com.au/kit.aspx Ignore the windows components as I can get everything without the windows tax. You can also mix and match parts to suit yourself if you want some other specs like more disks etc... I'm keeping this off-list for now but I can also do very good pricing for fellow SLUG members ;-) Shop around and, if you want, let me know if I can get a better price for you. Ben On 30/06/2010 11:10 AM, Erik de Castro Lopo wrote: Hi all, My mother-in-law has been using a Shuttle style PC running Ubuntu for a number of years and that machine has just died. Anybody have any recommendations for a small form-factor machine (shuttle sized or even mac-mini style) that can be bought without paying the windows tax? Sydney local preferred but open to other options. Cheers, Erik -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Hardware recommendations
Oops sorry, I really did mean to keep it off list... Ben On 30/06/2010 11:25 AM, Ben Donohue wrote: Hi Erik, I'm a computer dealer and a reseller for Altech and various other suppliers. I can get most anything. Have a look at kits at the address below... http://www.altech.com.au/kit.aspx Ignore the windows components as I can get everything without the windows tax. You can also mix and match parts to suit yourself if you want some other specs like more disks etc... I'm keeping this off-list for now but I can also do very good pricing for fellow SLUG members ;-) Shop around and, if you want, let me know if I can get a better price for you. Ben On 30/06/2010 11:10 AM, Erik de Castro Lopo wrote: Hi all, My mother-in-law has been using a Shuttle style PC running Ubuntu for a number of years and that machine has just died. Anybody have any recommendations for a small form-factor machine (shuttle sized or even mac-mini style) that can be bought without paying the windows tax? Sydney local preferred but open to other options. Cheers, Erik -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Hardware recommendations
Asrock ion 330 is great as it accelerates video using an nvidia ion. I use one as my xbmc box Dave -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Hardware recommendations
Many of the APUS machines come without O/S. For example, http://www.shoppingsquare.com.au/p_14849_APUS_AMD_Athlon_X2_245_Dual_Core_Budget_System They have a shuttle-like system too, http://www.shoppingsquare.com.au/p_9245_APUS_INTEL_Q8400_CORE_2_QUAD_MINI_PC_SYSTEM__1TB at a slightly higher price. Peter C -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Hardware recommendations
On Wednesday 30 June 2010 10:00:03 slug-requ...@slug.org.au wrote: Hi all, My mother-in-law has been using a Shuttle style PC running Ubuntu for a number of years and that machine has just died. Anybody have any recommendations for a small form-factor machine (shuttle sized or even mac-mini style) that can be bought without paying the windows tax? Sydney local preferred but open to other options. I got mine an eee 1001HA which was cheap, comes with a mic and camera and u10.04 netbook remix made it quite usable for her. (After 17374 times of being told how to grab a window by the title bar ...) Also the LED display is quite nice. James -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Re: WordPress, PHP ... Re: Ubuntu 10.04
hi, this looks like a wordpress code/mysql issue to me: jus...@justinlappy:~$ time wget http://sleepypenguin.homelinux.org/blog/ --2010-06-30 14:54:39-- http://sleepypenguin.homelinux.org/blog/ --- snip --- 2010-06-30 14:54:51 (2.35 KB/s) - `index.html' saved [25659] real0m11.861s user0m0.000s sys 0m0.020s jus...@justinlappy:~$ time wget http://sleepypenguin.homelinux.org/blog/wp-content/themes/suffusion/style.css --2010-06-30 14:59:06-- http://sleepypenguin.homelinux.org/blog/wp-content/themes/suffusion/style.css --- snip --- 2010-06-30 14:59:08 (31.2 KB/s) - `style.css' saved [63253/63253] real0m2.780s user0m0.000s sys 0m0.010s serving a static file is way, way faster, so its not primarily a network or dns issue. some basic things - do you have APC enabled for php? if you don't, apt-get install php5-apc, restart apache, and you'll get immediate performance gains. i'm not a wordpress dev, so i don't know if they have any devel modules that can give you info about that sort of stuff, but i'd look for one and see what it tells you. does wordpress have any basic, built-in caching you could turn on? if that's not an option, then you can use xhprof or xdebug to get some raw numbers. failing that, just try to cut the problem in half a few times with some simple debug patches to wordpress that just write times to a log file so you can zero in on the low hanging fruit. On 30 June 2010 09:37, Richard Ibbotson richard.ibbot...@googlemail.com wrote: On Wednesday 30 June 2010 00:25:24 Mike Lampard wrote: I'd suggest the WP-Cache or WP-Super-Cache plugins, which precompile the php to html so the server doesn't have to recompile the pages on each access. The GZIP-Output wordpress plugin is also recommended. I'll try those. Meanwhile I've been hacking the DNS and bind9 configuration. Looks like it might have taken a second or two off the download time. More like downloading a web page from planet earth rather than the moon :) if you control all the moving parts, i'd suggest pushing the compression further up|down the stack (depending on how you look at it) to apache by using mod_deflate, rather than using php. you'll want compression for your static files as well, and this is the simplest and most cpu efficient way to get it. cheers justin -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
