If you setup your factory with combinators to do specific tasks you would be able to activate those tasks remotely with a clean simple interface like:
- Shutting down power to certain areas
- Stop/start inserters
- Activate/Disable trains at waiting stations
- Switch to a powerSaving/low resource consumption mode
- Launch rocket
- Turning on speakers (or song/video for the crafty ones)
- Play Tetris
How: Create an item like the 'constant combinator' to connect to network. Within that device, buttons can be setup for either intermittent or toggle to send signal of 1 on assigned symbol. Buttons configured would populate "pipboy" toolbar on left or right hand of players screen for user interaction.