A computer lab is a group of computers that are usually networked and available for public use. Labs are often found in public buildings such as libraries, schools, colleges and universities, community centers, and some large churches that have many parishioners. Almost all computer labs provide users with Internet access and software that students can use for research and homework or that others, such as business travelers, may need for other purposes.
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A cyber cafe differs from a computer lab in that users must connect to the Internet using their own computer or device, and computer lab users do not need any equipment of their own. There is a need for protection and restrictions on publicly available networks. Users may be denied access to sites with adult content or sites that require a lot of bandwidth. Those who use a computer lab also often have limited time to log into a machine, whether it’s surfing the Internet or using software to do other work. There is rarely a charge to use a public lab computer, but labs at educational facilities tend to be available only to current students at the school, and usually must be registered so that their activities can be tracked and monitored if necessary.
Computer labs often provide Internet access and computer software to students, workers, and others who might benefit from their use.
Other hardware such as printers and sometimes scanners, compact disc (CD) drives, and digital versatile disc (DVD) drives are also available for free or for a nominal fee. Headphones can also be provided free of charge to users who visit websites with sound or video files that need to be played or to users who simply want to watch a movie or listen to music while working. Files created by visitors to a computer lab can often be stored on a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive, also known as a jump drive, thumb drive, or thumb drive, so they can take their work with them.
Certain college computer science or software classes will be held in a computer lab.
Network administrators are almost always very concerned about security in a computer lab that is open to the public. Antivirus software for protection against malicious code and programs that allow administrators and lab monitors to immediately take remote control of a machine are usually installed and regularly updated to keep the network safe for all users and their files. While most computer labs run on a Microsoft Windows® operating system, some labs, especially those in educational facilities, run on a Linux distribution such as Fedora, Ubuntu, or Debian.
Computer labs often provide access to equipment that includes CD or DVD drives.
