BML is using terminal OPACs for express access. Ability to operate functions on more than one major platform' is unclear. There is no word processor. A patron can invoke Netscape Composer right now. Users can telnet to any site, and work on email if they are a pine, elm, or unix mail user.
Many web sites offer access to email.
This is a policy issue as much as a technical one. Users can exit from the interface, but it is easy to start back up. The method that is being used now to prevent the launch of unauthorized applications requires that the desktop be hidden. A side effect of this is that this also disables the ability of the interface to auto launch. No technical method is in place to disallow excessively long sessions.