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NEWBIE!!!!! Help PLS
Brad Lee:
I think I saw this on an episode of the Brady Bunch, where the kids were always on the phone, so Mike got a payphone, but then the kids were all bothering their parents for change, so Alice had to start turning tricks, or something liek that, my mammaries are a little fuzzy this morning...
Anyways.. I've seen on Happs site coin timers, like you would see on a batting cage/pitching machine where you pop a quarter in the slot, it ticks away for a minute or whatever and then DING no more fastballs.. I would assume that the timing can be changed to set it for 15 minutes or however long you need.
If you're just looking to secure the PC, there's all number of keylock switches, bios passwords, heck, I bet there's even a way(if you're running XP or 2000) to set the maximum login length to a set amount of time
There are also a few Rube Goldberg-esque contraptions that come to mind... ;)
shmokes:
It seems like I saw a PC that had a bill validator installed by a user for just this purpose in one of the last two Maximum PC magazines. I'll try to remember to dig it out and see if I'm just dreaming.
enzo1109:
This is great guys, keep em coming.....
I work for a telecoms company in the UK. I have been to our payphone workshop and managed to aquire a coin op unit (for free!!!). Now i just need to work out who in this company has the electronic genius to make my plan a reality.
I have been suprised by the ammount of replies. Big thanks to all who have contributed. At least if this coin op doesnt work, I will be able to look into other ways of achieving my aim.
shmokes:
Here's a picture. I've emailed the mag to see if I can get some contact info for the guy who built it or if they will give him my contact info. I'll let you know if they come through.
paigeoliver:
--- Quote from: enzo1109 on May 02, 2003, 09:38:16 am ---In answer to your question why???? the masterplan is as follows.
I share a house with two friends, one of my friends lost his job in January and instead of concentrating on finding employment (thus enabling him to pay the rent) he has spent about 12hours a day perfecting his counter-strike skills on my PC. As you can imagine, this is becoming rather irritating. I don't want to lock him out from my pc but as seen as its always me that pays for the upgrades and him that gets most benefit I thought that putting a coin meter on the PC would help achieve both of the following.
1) No job = no cash and nocash = no gaming :-)
2) His gaming addiction will help towards the cost of the network connection and upgrades of the system and when he has thrown enough money into the slot, I can build him his own PC.
To some people this may seem cruel, but I am really trying to usher him into finding another job and not freeloading. I don't really want to ask him to leave but unless he can start to earn money then I have no choice. I am just trying to be a good friend.
Thanks to those who have offered advice thus far. Keep it coming.
--- End quote ---
Ok. You would never recoup your initial investment with that little scheme. It would be cheaper just to buy your roommate a computer then it would be to spend $200-$400 doing a coin op mod, and then having your roommate promptly stop using the computer.