Method and apparatus for public computing

A portable computer system configured for transient use by a plurality of guests, the portable computer system comprising:

• a portable computer having a display screen, a display manager, and user interface configured to accept inputs from the plurality of guests and to display content on the display screen;
• and
• remote computer storage coupled to the portable computer via a network connection;
• wherein the portable computer is configured to initiate a first session responsive to an input received from a first guest of the plurality of guests via the user interface and to store a first guest profile on the remote computer storage, and to terminate the first session responsive to one of a termination action taken by the first guest and expiration of a time-out period, wherein terminating the first session includes erasing history of the first session on the portable computer;
• and
• wherein the display manager is configured to manage a plurality of views of computer content in the user interface, and to control the user interface to display a first selection of content on the display screen prior to initiation of the first session and after termination of the first session, and to display a second selection of content on the display screen during the first session, the second selection of content comprising more available content than the first selection of content.

A computer system configured for transient use by a plurality of guests at a selected facility, the computer system comprising:

• a plurality of portable computers including a first portable computer and a second portable computer, the first and second portable computers being located at different locations at the selected facility, and each portable computer including a network connection, a display screen, a display manager, and a user interface configured to receive inputs from the plurality of guests and to display digital content on the display screen;
• and
• computer storage separate from the plurality of portable computers and coupled to each of the plurality of portable computers via the respective network connection, the computer storage including a facility profile specifying a first content configuration for the first portable computer and a second content configuration for the second portable computer, the first and second content configurations being different;
• wherein each portable computer is configured to initiate a first session responsive to an input received from a first guest of the plurality of guests via the user interface, and to terminate the first session responsive to one of a termination action taken by the first guest and expiration of a time-out period;
• wherein the display manager is configured to manage a plurality of views of computer content in the user interface, and to control the user interface to display a first selection of content on the display screen prior to initiation of the first session and after termination of the first session, and to display a second selection of content on the display screen during the first session, the second selection of content comprising more available content than the first selection of content;
• and
• wherein the plurality of views of computer content for the first and second portable computers are determined based on a first and second content configurations, respectively.