Article

Selecting an operating system for kiosks

KIOSKmarketplace asked computer expert Debra Littlejohn Shinder for an overview of the different operating systems available for kiosk systems.

March 19, 2002

Debra Littlejohn Shinder, MCSE, is a technology consultant, trainer and author. She has written a number of books on networking, includingComputer Networking Essentials, published by Cisco Press. She is co-author, with her husband Dr. Thomas Shinder, ofTroubleshooting Windows 2000 TCP/IPand the best-sellingConfiguring ISA Server 2000, both published by Syngress Media. Deb lives and works in the Dallas-Ft Worth area.

There are many kiosk software applications that provide for attract loops, customized menus, multimedia presentations, eCommerce transactions, mapping and other specialized

Further reading You may be interested in these KIOSKmarketplace articles: "A kiosk software glossary" "KIOSKmarketplace asks: Which operating system is best?" "KIOSKmarketplace asks: What advice would you give to retailers?"

functions to fit a kiosk project's needs. Underlying the application software, however, is one common element: a computer's operating system (OS).

Selecting the correct operating system will affect ease of operation and the overall success of the kiosk implementation.

What to consider

Any of today's popular operating systems can be used for kiosk computers. There is no "one size fits all" solution, as each has advantages and disadvantages. The most important factors to consider when selecting an operating system are:

• Cost: This includes not only the initial cost of licensing the operating system, but any hardware upgrades necessary to run it, as well as the Total Cost of Operation (TCO) of the operating system as compared to others.
• Stability and Reliability: A kiosk, even more than a productivity workstation, requires an operating system that can run, unstaffed, for long periods of time without crashing, freezing or otherwise becoming dysfunctional.
• Security: Because the kiosk is open to the public - including the curious and the creative - it must be able to be "locked down." This means modifying the operating system to prevent unauthorized changes or access (especially if the kiosk computer is connected to a network).
• Management: Ease of administration and remote management capabilities are requirements for large deployments and with kiosks running different applications.
• Software Compatibility: The desired software (kiosk modules, Web browsers, etc.) must be able to run on the operating system.
• Hardware Peripheral Support: The operating system must support the devices (such as smart card readers, bar code scanners and touchscreen monitors) that are needed for the system.
• Networking Support: If the kiosks will be part of a private network, or connected to the public Internet, built-in network support and easy configuration of networking components will be important.

The Windows 9x family

Microsoft Windows 95, 98 and ME are popular consumer operating systems built to combine more efficient 32-bit capabilities with 16-bit backware compatibility that allows them to run old DOS/Windows 3.x programs. The 9x operating systems are often used for kiosks, and have several advantages.

Cost is significantly lower than for Microsoft's NT/2000 family of operating systems, and the 9x operating systems require less powerful processors and less memory. For example, Windows 98 will run comfortably on a system with 32 megabytes (MB) of RAM, while Windows 2000 requires a minimum of 128 MB to perform well.

A large percentage of modern software applications are written for Windows, and device drivers for 9x systems are plentiful. Windows 98 and ME include support for USB devices. Windows 9x computers can be remotely managed via third-party software, and networking is built-in and relatively easy to configure.

The two biggest disadvantages of the 9x operating systems are in the areas of reliability and security. Because the operating systems still contain 16-bit code, system crashes are more frequent than with the NT-based operating systems that better protect their kernels (the core part of the operating system) from unruly applications. The 9x operating systems do not include the high-security features that are built into the NT systems, although administrators can use System Policies to provide some degree of desktop lockdown.

The Windows NT/2000 Family

Microsoft designed its NT, 2000, and the soon-to-be-released Windows XP operating systems to withstand the reliability and security requirements of the corporate world.

With NT System Policies, mandatory interactive logon and file level access permissions, NT allows the administrator to exercise far more control over the desktop and user access to system resources. Windows 2000 and XP take this a step further, adding stronger security measures such as Group Policy, disk encryption technologies, IPSecurity (IPSec) for sensitive data sent over the Internet, and more.

Administration of NT/2000 machines is centralized when the networked computers are joined in a Windows domain, which is a way of setting up networks with Windows servers. Windows 2000 Server includes terminal services (a way of controlling the computer from a distance) to provide complete remote administration, and in Windows XP this capability has been extended to the workstation version of the operating system, XP Professional. Networking is a "no brainer," and Windows 2000/XP support USB and other advanced peripherals.

What are the drawbacks, then? Cost and compatibility - both in terms of hardware and software. The NT-based operating systems cost significantly more than their 9x counterparts. For example, Windows 2000 Professional lists at $219 for the upgrade version, while Windows 98 upgrades list at $109.

NT/2000/XP will not run some older applications that work on Windows 9x, particularly programs that try to directly access the hardware. Perhaps most daunting are the hardware requirements. It is imperative that you check Microsoft's Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) at  to ensure that your hardware components have been tested.

UNIX/Linux

UNIX is the operating system on which the Internet was originally based (and on which many of its servers still run). Linux is a variation of UNIX developed in 1990 by Linus Torvalds, a Finnish computer science student, specifically to run on Intel-compatible personal computers (PCs).

At first considered a complex, difficult-to-learn operating system, "for geeks only," due to its text-based interface and cryptic commands, Linux has become increasingly popular for server and desktop use during the past five years. There are now graphical interfaces available, such as KDE, that give it a Windows-like look and make it easier to navigate and perform administrative tasks.

The biggest strength and weakness of Linux is its open-source nature. Because the source code is available freely, there are numerous different versions (called distributions or just distros) of Linux. This keeps the cost low, but the lack of standardization also creates confusion, and slight differences between distros can cause problems with application compatibility.

Linux is attractive for several reasons. First and foremost, it can be downloaded for free (although there are many commercial distributions, such as Durham, N.C.-based Red Hat's). There is a lot of information on the Web about Linux, and many informal support groups. Programmers can customize the kernel to make the operating system more suitable for a project's particular needs.

Hardware device drivers are sometimes difficult to come by. To run peripherals, a company may have to write these or contract to have them written. Based on UNIX, Linux is reliable and secure but not always easy to install and configure. It requires someone who is technically savvy to support Linux installations.

QNX

The QNX operating system is distinguished by its size - a fully functional demo version contains the entire operating system on a 1.44 MB floppy disk. This QNX demo can run on systems that don't even have a hard disk; the code is loaded into memory from the floppy, decompressed, and run in RAM (Random Access Memory).

QNX even includes a Web browser called Voyager, and an embedded Web server. QNX has been recognized as a low cost kiosk solution that requires little in the way of hardware resources. Webnote Internet Kiosk software is available for it.

Which O's is Best for You?

There is no perfect operating system for kiosk implementation, just as there is no one perfect desktop or server operating system. But there are a number of good, reliable operating systems from which to choose, and at least one that will fit your needs and budget.

If keeping costs down is the most important factor, QNX, Linux or perhaps a member of the Windows 9x family will serve well. If security is the top consideration, Microsoft's NT-based operating systems or a Linux distro may work best. If ease of administration and built-in remote admin capabilities are important, Windows 2000 or XP will fit the bill.