John Nall wrote:

> Trying to do this with a minimum of time/trouble/expense, I have
> purchased a webcam (from Amazon.com) for $20, and will install it down
> at the coin laundry when it comes in (after checking it out here at
> home, of course).   Then will try to see if I can use  the Windows XP
> instant messenger video capability to be able to periodically monitor
> the laundry from home.  

Running the messenger full time may work. If not, I'm sure there are dozens
of webcam applications that do this more reliably.

> There is a full-time attendant at the laundry who can be called on the
> telephone and told to do thus-and-thus, so remote control hopefully is
> not required.

Remote control is easier than you may think... For WinXP, you run
NetMeeting ("conf") on the host in the laundry and set it up for remote
control (including requiring encryption). Then you get a dynamic IP account
and run a client on the host that automatically updates the IP. Then you
run NetMeeting on your client at home and connect to your dynamic IP URL,
logging in as a user of the remote PC (in the laundry).

But maybe the IM works more reliably than I expect it to...

Gerhard
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