Chapter 79: Technical Mastery Required

Chen Xiao suggested to Boss Deng, "Would you like to give it a try? We are indeed engaged in software development, not only the legendary plug-in, but also the Internet cafe management system."

Boss Deng was skeptical, but given that Chen Xiao had assisted him earlier, he inquired cautiously, "Is there a cost associated with its use?"

Boss Deng's Internet cafe had its own set of issues. Apart from using pirated software for game installations, he also had a hidden section containing explicit video content. Moreover, due to cost-saving measures, the cafe lacked proper fire protection measures, making it a potential safety hazard.

The situation would have been much worse if Chen Xiao hadn't come to his defense and shifted the blame to Zhou Quan. If JC had chosen to inspect his internet cafe, Boss Deng would be in big trouble.

With hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in his internet cafe, not taking action against Boss Deng could lead to significant repercussions.

Chen Xiao asserted, "It's free."

"What? Free?!" Boss Deng couldn't believe such an appealing offer.

Chen Xiao explained, "Considering that your internet cafe has only just started operating, how will you know if it's effective without trying?"

Daozi and the others gathered around Chen Xiao, intrigued by his actions and unfamiliar with the concept of the Internet cafe management system.

Observing Chen Xiao's composed demeanor, they remained curious and decided to stick around to see what he was up to.

Boss Deng inquired, "What do I need to do then?"

Chen Xiao responded, "I'll install the management system for you. You can give it a test run. If you're not satisfied, I can uninstall it for you."

Chen Xiao promptly got to work, logging into the 11181 website using the administrative computer at the front desk. He had uploaded the relevant management system programs to the 11181 server a couple of nights ago.

This approach offered two key benefits.

Firstly, it would accelerate the promotion of the Internet cafe management system. Internet cafe technicians wouldn't need specialized CDs for installation.

As the management system gained recognition, many internet cafes could download and use it without relying on Chen Xiao's technical assistance.

Secondly, it had the potential to attract users organically. If internet cafe owners stumbled upon the Internet cafe management system on the 11181 website, they would likely download and use it themselves.

While Chen Xiao was busy with the setup, he turned to Daozi and asked, "Brother Dao, can you download and install the software?"

Knife replied confidently, "Absolutely!"

Chen Xiao instructed, "Then could you please help us, Brother Dao? Just download this program from the website and install it directly."

To ensure ease of use for internet cafe administrators, Chen Xiao designed the Internet cafe management system with user-friendly operation in mind.

Upon installation, the system could automatically identify applications present on the internet cafe's computers. It would then incorporate the root directories of these applications into the protection system.

However, temporarily downloaded files would not be covered by the protection system.

This mechanism safeguarded the cleanliness of the computers within the internet cafe. It also prevented less tech-savvy users from downloading potentially harmful software that often carried viruses, saving the network administrator from the hassle of maintenance.

Given Chen Xiao's history of helping Daozi, the latter quickly enlisted the help of his friends.

The process was straightforward, and since they were all accustomed to playing games in internet cafes, they picked up the steps quickly.

In less than half an hour, the five of them had successfully installed the Internet Cafe Management System on all the computers in Boss Deng's Internet Cafe.

At that moment, a customer walked in.

Seeing that neither Boss Deng nor the network administrator knew how to operate the new system, they turned to Chen Xiao for guidance.

Taking a seat at the administrative computer, Chen Xiao asked, "How long will you be using the computer?"

"Ten dollars' worth," the customer replied.

Chen Xiao nodded, "Alright, for ten yuan, you'll receive a two yuan bonus. It's two yuan per hour. That gives you six hours of usage. If you're unable to finish your session, you can log off and continue next time."

During this era of internet access, strict ID card verification was not required.

Chen Xiao accessed the Internet Cafe Administrator System and randomly selected a computer number that was currently not in use. He input the recharge amount for a user who had already topped up online.

Deng Liwen, observing from the sidelines, noted that the system could also automatically set the unit price for internet access and apply preferential measures.

This simplified operation required entering the user's recharge amount, after which the system would automatically calculate the corresponding hours of internet usage.

Even those unfamiliar with calculations could easily navigate this process.

Chen Xiao jotted down the account number and password on paper and handed it to the customer, explaining, "After turning on the computer, enter the account number and password. You'll be able to start surfing the internet automatically."

The customer, baffled by this novel process, accepted the note and headed to his seat to turn on the computer.

Indeed, he found the experience different from what he was used to in other internet cafes. Instead of accessing the desktop upon startup, the user had to input an account and password at Kaixuan Internet Cafe.

Upon entering the account and password from the note, the user gained access to the Windows98 interface as expected. A pop-up box at the bottom-right of the desktop displayed the remaining online time.

Once the allotted time expired, the desktop would automatically lock. Continued internet access required recharging.

The new system significantly reduced the network administrator's workload. No longer needing to manually record the usage time for each computer, the network administrator could focus on other tasks.

As the system was freshly installed, Chen Xiao had input the amounts already recharged by online users. This caused the desktop to automatically display a reminder to recharge when a user's session time was up.

"Damn! What's going on?!" Users accustomed to squeezing a few extra minutes of use after the time expired expressed their frustration.

The internet cafe scene left Boss Deng Liwen in awe.

[Influence +3.]

Chen Xiao's influence increased by three points.

Deng Liwen exclaimed excitedly, "This is truly amazing!"

With business booming in the internet cafe recently, Deng Liwen was considering hiring front desk staff.

Seeing how this system simplified operations, he realized it might help save on front desk staff salaries. One network administrator could handle the task quite easily.

Chen Xiao, wearing a smile, remarked, "In fact, our Internet Cafe Management System also supports regular magnetic cards and membership magnetic cards."

"The account number and password are printed on the magnetic card. Users need to input the recharge amount before going online, then swipe the magnetic card. The card can then be handed to the user. This process is even more convenient and eliminates the need to jot down the account number and password!"

Daozi and the others looked amazed.

Having spent their time gaming in small, clandestine internet cafes, they were astonished that Chen Xiao had not only developed plug-ins but also network management systems.

They found it hard to believe. How could he be so knowledgeable? And they were completely clueless!

[Influence +5.]

Deng Liwen couldn't help but ask repeatedly, "Brother, can you confirm that this Internet Cafe Management System is really free?"