Hi Ian, > Hmm... I would agree that an ncurses based POS would be more light, but > looking at some POSs already in deployment in Dept. stores, it's much too > fancy for a text based interface. >
This one is for a supermarket. Nothing fancy needed, just pure speed. Also, we want to mimick the existing DOS interface, as much as possible, to minimize having to re-train more than 100 cashiers. > How do you interface with bar code readers, CC swipe, cash drawer, > journal printers? Have enough of these devices and you will run out of > serial ports! The market for devices for POS applications is so wide! > I'd stick with the keyboard wedge type of devices to lessen the hardware > device driver overhead in development. > Yes, even the IBM POS machines have caused us problems in the past with serial ports. > It would nice to collaborate on an opensource POS project with a back end > inventory system. Like I always told you, if I was ten years younger and still single, I would do it in a minute. > Such systems will definitely bring the cost of POS > systems down by removing the Windows/DOS layer an allow for stuff like > integration to other apps. Yup, just this year in the US, Home Depot deployed their Linux POS solution to 20,000 units nationwide. Another major retailer there did the same thing. When you start talking about 20,000 units, then the licensing costs become substantial. Can you imagine how much it would cost to license Home Depot's operation (clients and servers)? _ Philippine Linux Users Group. Web site and archives at http://plug.linux.org.ph To leave: send "unsubscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to the Linux Newbies' List: send "subscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
