Ikoy’s Computer Shop

Timer

and Monitoring

System

Developers:

BSI/T – 2D

John Angelo S. Leal

Presley Q. Lecaroz

Jericko Lazo
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

1.1 THE PROBLEM DOMAIN

Nowadays, computer is an essential tool that makes life easier and faster.

It provides countless information about everything while holding a huge amount

of it. Today, a lot of people take advantage of this modern device to create

different systems like the computerized time monitoring system which is now

being used in many internet café.

On the other hand, the Ikoy’s Computer Shop is still using the manual

method in recording their daily transactions; consequently, we came up with the

creation of a computerized system that will provide the Internet shop a modern

and more advance way in keeping track of their business transactions as well as

monitoring the time-in and time-out and automatic computation of the total

amount of the acquired services of every customers.

1.2 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

An internet shop or most commonly known as computer rental shop is a

place where one can use a computer with Internet access, play on-line games,

type or encode his documents for projects, research and thesis most for a fee,

usually per hour. These type of establishment is very common in the country.

The Ikoy’s Computer Shop owned by Jericho Malelang is located near

Elementary School at Tanza, Boac, Marinduque. It was established on May 19,

2014. The computer shop is consists of 10 units of computers. The services

offered here are gaming, internet surfing, typing and printing services for

students and other customers. The computer shop uses manual system in

recording the usage of their computers. They use a log-book that contains the

lists of computer number, time in and out, time to be consumed and the amount

to be paid. Aside from this task, the owner or the assistant is also obliged to ask

or remind the customers if they are going to extend their time or they are about to

end their transaction. After that, they encircle the computer number, calculate it

by computing the time the customer have consumed.

The shop earns approximately one thousand pesos (1,000.00) per day

during weekends because mostly all of the customers are students who play a lot

of computer games like Dota 2 and surf the internet. Each hour usage costs

fifteen pesos per hour and a promo is given to customers who plays five hours in

which they would only pay fifty pesos only.

 Internet rental shops started in the late 1990s as LAN shops, a center in

which computers are networked in order to play LAN games. Internet connection

then was dial up and relatively expensive therefore only a few shops offered

internet service. Establishing computer rental business needs determination of

the following important factors such as computer hardware, computer software,

peopleware, and target market and business model.

Internet café/shop or computer rental shop businesses must be concerned

with its timer and monitoring system in order to have a clear view of business

condition and its performance. It must also consider its operations so that it can

effectively manage its resources to provide income for the business. Since this

kind of business starts to gain population in the market, operations here become

more complicated. From the moment the customer enters the shop until service

is finally rendered, several considerations must be taken into account. These

bring the need for internet cafés to have a computerized timer and monitoring

system and consider its operations and gain competitive advantage in this kind of

field.

Manual – based monitoring of computers that are used by the owner or

staff of the computer shop is the toughest part that this kind of business

encounters every day. Inaccurate recording of costumer sessions and poor

monitoring will result to profit loss. Thus, these are the reasons why the

researchers are proposing to develop a computerized internet café or computer

shop timer and monitoring system. The proposed system will provide an accurate
timer for sessions and proper monitoring to safeguard computers from

unauthorized use.

1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The manual – based operations at Ikoy’s Computer Shop business

encounters many problems. The following are the basis for encountering such

problems:

1. Inaccurate recording of computer rental sessions in the logbook

2. Lack of security for client computers

3. Incapability to monitor the time consumption or usage of computers by

costumers

4. Improper monitoring of all computers when all the units are being used at

the same time

5. Time consuming in managing and entertaining all the incoming and

outgoing customers

6. Inaccurate calculation of payable amount based from time usage

1.4 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1.4.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVE

The proposed system aims to develop a computerized timer and

monitoring system to aid Ikoy’s Computer Shop regarding time monitoring needs.

1.4.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE

Specifically, this proposed system aims to:

1. Have an accurate computerized timer for computer rental sessions.

2. Provide security from unauthorized use of computers.

3. Provide a bandwidth limiter option to monitor and control the

amount of bandwidth used by customer and to balance bandwidth

usage between client computers.

4. Remotely monitor and control all client computers from a server to

properly manage internet cafés.

5. Easily and properly manage and entertain all incoming and

outgoing customers

6. Automatically compute payable amount for the time consumed and

for computer rental service fee

1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

The proposed system covers the major operations of the internet

café or computer rental shop such as monitoring and time usage of rental

computers. The system has nothing to do with the printing services and

strategies implied by the business on how to attract more customers. It will not

also cover the expenses of the business such as electric bill and water bill.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This proposed system, entitled “Ikoy’s Internet Café Time Monitoring

System”, will give benefit to internet café businesses regarding monitoring and

client computer timer. The system aims to improve time monitoring, security and

control over rental computers. Furthermore, it will also help to decrease time

consumption in managing incoming and outgoing costumers.

The researchers chose this system because not all internet café

businesses use this kind of computer – based system. Internet cafés that are

using manual – based timer and monitoring makes work inadequately inefficient.

The benefit of this computer – based system is to make internet café

monitoring effortless, easier and faster.

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents the review of related foreign and local literature and

studies. The researchers prefer the following literature and studies because of

their simplicity and relevance to the present study. These show the invaluable

views of different minds about the operational concerns and accounting system

which will help in better understanding of the topics. The researchers used

sources such as the Internet, thesis, books and other print materials.

2.1 RELATED FOREIGN LITERATURE

HotSpot is a Windows PC gateway software which helps in

controlling and billing customers for the Internet usage. It does not require any

Client software installations. It uses captive portal technology to show login page

in customer browser. Upon connecting to network (using wireless cards or UTP

cable), customers will be prompted to enter valid username and password to get

Internet access. (ANTAMEDIA, 2001)

CyberLeader Internet Cafe Software is a management, monitoring and

billing system for Internet and Gaming cafes, coffee shops, hotels, schools,

restaurants, libraries and other institutions that provide computers for public

usage. It can work on a standard or wireless LAN, and also supports remote

connection between server and clients over the Internet. (CyberLeader Systems

INC., 2001)
 CafeSuite is a Cyber Cafe management software that helps with

managing customers and employees, controlling computers and printers,

securing systems, accounting and billing. The basic task of this software is to

provide operators and customers with an accurate timing and billing information.

The software generates various statistics, which give detailed information about

business performance. All transactions and actions are recorded into a database

and can be viewed through reports.(Staszewski, 2002)

2.2 RELATED LOCAL LITERATURE

Developed by professional Filipino programmers, Paymycafe is a free

Server – Client Cyber Café Manager that offers a secure and efficient system. Its

Server features include remote control, bulk tickets, second and third rates

options, in – house prepaid tickets, open time accounts, member accounts, point

of sale, reports, receipts, user management, multiple server support, café log and

software updates.

Café Manila is a cybercafé management software that provides

administrative needs for computer rental shops.

Café Manila features:

Point of Sale System Employee Management Client

Monitoring and Management Charging Scheme

2.3 RELATED FOREIGN STUDIES

According to Jaafar(2007), Cyber Cafe Management System is software

for operating Internet Cafe, Cyber Cafe, Game Center, Gaming Cafe and PC

rental Cafe shop. It has been designed for use in an Internet coffee shop , cafe

management, billing, although it can be used for internet PC controlling. Cyber

Cafe Management System is a real-time way to manage the client machines via

monitoring and locking in order to process PC rentals which includes the ability to

fully control and charge for printing

2.4 RELATED LOCAL STUDIES

In Crisanta’s (2010) study, developing a system that can efficiently

manage the task in an internet cafe, she explained that an internet cafe can

function well by applying computerized system or networking in monitoring the

use of computers rather than manual system. In applying such, tasks become

more manageable, accurate and reliable to their business.

In conducting the study, Lincoln Internet Cafe located at Bato-Bato St.,

Riverside, Commonwealth Avenue serves the sample. The internet cafe uses

manual system in recording the usage of their computers. They use a log-book

that contains the following list: computer number, time in and out, time to be

consumed and the amount to be paid. Aside from this task, the assistant is also

obliged to ask or remind the customer if they are going to extend their time or

they are about to end their transaction. After that, they encircle the computer

number, calculate it by computing the time the customer have consumed.

Crisanta (2010) conclude that LIC (Lincoln Internet Cafe) system is time

consuming and difficult. Sometimes, customers exceeded their usage because

they are not guarded properly and having this kind of negligence causes an

income lost to the business.

In Llavore’s study (2011), he stated that Internet cafés are located

worldwide, and many people use them when traveling to access web mail and

instant messaging services to keep in touch with family and friends. Apart from

travelers, in many developing countries Internet cafés are the primary form of

internet access for citizens as a shared-access model is more affordable than

personal ownership of equipment or software. A variation on the Internet café

business model is the LAN gaming center, used for multiplayer gaming. These

cafés have several computer stations connected to a LAN. The connected

computers are custom-assembled for gameplay, supporting popular multiplayer

games. This is reducing the need for video arcades and arcade games, many of

which are being closed down or merged into Internet cafés. The use of Internet

cafés for multiplayer gaming is particularly popular in certain areas of Asia like

China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and the Philippines. In some countries,

since practically all LAN gaming centers also offer Internet access, the terms net

cafe and LAN gaming center have become interchangeable. Again, this shared-

access model is more affordable than personal ownership of equipment or

software, especially since games often require high end and expensive PCs.
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the functional specification, design specification and

implementation.

3.1 Environment

The study was conducted at Tanza, Boac, Marinduque. The Ikoy’s

Computer Shop is near the Tanza Elementary School and few meters away from

Marinduque State College. It was chosen by the researchers because the

operation in monitoring the time of computer rental in the said computer shop is

done manually. There is no systematic way of time monitoring there. Computer

rental shop or internet café / shop is one of the in-demand businesses that

provides different computer services.

3.2 REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

Operational Feasibility

Cause Effect

Method Operator

Time consuming Existing manual Lack of proper

method is training/knowledge
inaccurate
Too many client
computers to
handle

Profit Loss

Computers can
be used At times,
unauthorized computers are
left unattended

Computer

FISHBONE DIAGRAM
3.3 TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY

The client/server networking model does not require fancy or state of the art
hardware to run effectively. A client and server computer either has a distinct role.
A server is designed to share its resources among the client computers on the
network. It must be located in a secured area and must have windows 7 for
network operating system, TCP/IP for networking protocol software, faster
processor, more memory, and more storage space than a client computer because
it has to service ten (10) client computers at the same time. The client computer
typically communicates only with servers, not with other clients.

A client system is a standard PC that is running an OS such as Windows.

Other hardware components for LAN-based client/server network are UTP cables,
RJ-45 connectors and LAN switch.

The researchers have chosen the mentioned technologies because of their

practicality to proposed capstone project and necessity to the researcher’s defined
solution.

3.4 ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY

The estimated total cost for the proposed system would range around Thirty

six thousand six hundred pesos (PHP36,600.00). This includes the hardware

specifications.

Items Qty. Price Total

Ikoy’s Internet Shop Timer and
Monitoring System
Server 1 1,100.00
Client (for every client 10 100.00
computer) 2,100.00
Computer set without printer 1 15,000.00 15,000.00
TP-link 24 port switch 2 7,000.00 14,000.00
1 UPS 1 2,500.00 2,500.00
Sales lost during installation phase 3,000.00 3,000.00

TOTAL COST: 36,600.00

Estimated Cost

After the completion of the system, the respondents could implement the

Ikoy’s internet shop timer and monitoring system. The system is capable of

monitoring and controlling the amount of bandwidth used by customers, storing

daily sales report, remotely monitor and control all client computers from a server,

provide security from unauthorized use of computers and have an accurate timer

for computer rental sessions. It is expected that implementation of the monitoring

system would be efficient, effective and more beneficial because the capabilities of

the computerized system can increase the total number and satisfaction of

costumers.
3.5 REQUIREMENT ANALYSIS

Information Input:
- The existing manual system of time monitoring
of customers is inaccurate because the
employees have too many client computers to
handle.
As for the proposed system, all client computers
are monitored and controlled by the server, thus
inaccuracies can be greatly reduced.
Output:
- Computation of customer’s bills and sales
reports are manually handled resulting to errors,
redundancy and requires a lot of time.
The proposed system offers accurate, fast and
reliable information retrieval for generating
outputs.
Stored Data:
- The existing manual system’s data is difficult to
manage because of lack of proper storage.
The proposed system’s data storage is
organized and gives confidentiality for
customers.
Performance - Through put rate is slow. It is not presentable,
records have to be searched for and maintained
on files whereas the proposed system’s through
put rate is very fast, the records are
computerized thus leading to easy modification
and retrieval of data.
Control - The existing manual system is vulnerable to
fraud because, at times, computers are left
unattended especially when there are a lot of
customers.
The proposed system provides better security by
locking client computers, which can be
controlled by the server, to prevent unauthorized
access.
CHAPTER IV DISCUSSIONS AND RESULTS

4.1 DATA AND PROCESS MODELING

Context Diagram of Proposed System

Owner/ Admin
Input no. of
hours and
costumer bills
0
Payment
Customer Ikoy’s Computer
Shop Timer and
Rental expiration Monitoring System
warning
 Data Flow Diagram of Proposed System

USER /
CUSTOMER

1.1
ADMIN /
OWNER D1 MEMBER DATA
LOG - IN

Member’s Information
1.2
ADD USER

Session Details
Session Details
1.3
D2 MONITORING

START
SESSION

Extend Session
Query to add sales

Payment Details
1.4 D3 SALES

COMPUTE
AMOUNT
4.2 DESIGN

OUTPUT

Functional Specification

The system is entitled “Ikoy’s Internet Shop Timer and Monitoring System”.
The function of this system is to help the said computer shop to provide an
accurate timer for sessions and proper monitoring of rental computers.

Functions Performed

Client Timer.

The system has a function that accurately monitors the time of each sessions of
every costumer. An administrator has the right to start and stop and pause or
resume a session from the server. The system automatically computes the bill
whenever a session ends.

Power Management.

The administrator can remotely shutdown and restart idle client client computers.

Sales Management.

One of the systems function is to record daily report of sales.

User Information.

Add Members Account. Create new member information.

Client Monitoring.

Post-paid session doesn't have any time limit unless an operator specifies it.
The customer is charged after he/she logs out.
Member’s Log – in.

Use a customer login/password to login from Client login screen. Only

member sessions with positive balances can be started in this way. Walk –
in costomer sessions can only be started by an operator from the server.

Pricing

One of the system’s function is to setup individual session rates for walk – in
customers and members.

Lock Client Computers.

Another function of the system is to lock client computers to prevent unauthorized

access.

Display Session Information.

A client computer is unlocked when a customer enters his name/password or of

administrator starts a customer session remotely. When the client computer is
unlocked, the session information window appears.