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> If the network infra-structure allows for POS to connect to the Internet at large

If it can't reach "the Internet at large", then it has to use modems and modem based access for credit card and debit card transactions. This is relatively slow, fragile, and expensive per transaction. Such devices are almost completely gone. Sadly, Windows XP is still commonly used on point-of-sale terminals. A typical vendor, like the one below, has _no_ Windows * based systems and supports only Windows XP and Windows 7.

                http://www.barcodesinc.com/p/

I think you just taught me what a 144 key keyboard is. I'm guessing this is what they use to build a cash register.

Imagine all the ways this can be programmed, and you have an idea why it's entrenched. Its potential hasn't been exhausted.

Watch Futurama, they are still using QWERTY. New input devices will come when they are needed. Until then, nothing is stopping you from playing around. In theory, input devices should be among the easiest to both build and program, and the most fun to experiment with.

In short, the reason I came to this thread, is because I am flabbergasted that it took M$ to make an analog keyboard. Wtf is that about anyway. But then again, it took M$ to make a 386-based windowing system. I guess some things just take persistence.

"linear". It's available at http://www.barcodesinc.com/cherry/g81-1800.htm and probably some other places. I bought mine through Amazon, but they're out of stock currently. To others looking for different Cherry keyboards, always look at those who sell POS terminal keyboards and the like; the POS folks love Cherry boards because they never die, but are cheaper than, say, an Avant Stellar. Over time, they're probably cheaper for commercial applications than a normal membrane keyboard, as they'll outlast 6 of them.

I find it a bit surprising that no one's yet mentioned the free 3of9 barcode font .

Back when I had a working scanner / OCR setup, I spent a lot of time trying to reverse-engineer the barcodes on coupons. You might be surprised how lenient cashiers are with those things these days... even after a former co-worker of mine printed up (and handed out) about 1,200 self-made "Free 20oz Coke Product" coupons.

With internet-printable coupons more popular than ever, I wonder how long it'll be before we start seeing larger-scale scams involving reverse-engineered "custom coupons"?

http://www.barcodesinc.com/generator/index.php

It might not be quite as fancy, but there's a free and OSS PHP-based barcode maker called Barcode (which does work, and pretty well). I've used it in the past to steal^Wcreate barcodes for inventory at work.

Here's an implementation and here's the homepage for the program.

An interesting aside is that if you have an LCD monitor, you can actually scan the barcode off the screen (at least with an older Symbol RS232 scanner I had).