Open Source Linux Based POS Systems?

tha_mink asks: "I am currently working for a number of clients that have very similar needs for a cost-effective POS system that may be integrated online. (read : cheap if not free) These are all small business clients with small budgets and so I would like to suggest something Linux-based, with a nice GUI, and a database I can get at through the web (PostgreSQL would be great). I have searched for and read the past Slashdot articles on the subject only to find that they are old and out of date. I have also done numerous google searches only to find that there is not a clear leader. My clients don't really need things like payroll and purchasing but inventory control, accounting, and customer storage are important. So I ask: What systems are available to fulfill the needs of small business without breaking the bank and without requiring any software from Redmond?"

Comments

Pre-made scripts

[Anonymous Coward]

What you want are pre-built scripts, right?

Head over to Matt's Script Archive. Tons of stuff there. There's probably exactly what you are looking for.

Just in clase it isn't clear

[Feztaa]

POS means POINT OF SALE!

As in, cash registers!

JWZ to the rescue

[T-Ranger]

JWZ's proof of concept pos. Note that he gave up, but IIRC thats because he couldnt find drunk-goon proof hardware.

beONix

[CertGen]

I know for a fact that these guys have developed point-of-sale linux apps for big time customers. I've dealt with them before and they're friendly enough to contact. You may want to ask them if they have small-fry offerings that fit your budget.

here's one.

[anon mouse-cow-aard]

never used it. it's been around for many years, used to be a SCO app (so it's politcally a propos ;-) and they're still in business. Seems about the complexity you are looking for.

http://www.linuxcanada.com/pos.html

you can download evaluation rpms for free.

Re:Why Linux?

[whatparadox]

Just to be contrary, my experience runs the other way. The 2 Linux based POS are just unstoppable, Iâ(TM)m surprised when a day goes by without a support call from the windows POS store.

ex-support supervisor

[lostindenver]

It depends on what type of POS you need. C-store, Qsr, Big store, Mom & Pop. I have worked POS most of my computer career you need to be A LOT more direct as to your needs. I know of several that the MS tax is less than you think. Contact me for questions.

Do you need credit card processing?

[Anonymous Coward]

I do tech support for PC based credit card processing applications at one of the biggest credit card processors (at least the company tells us they're one of the biggest) and if you need this software to run credit cards I can tell you it's unlikely you'll find a free version.

The reason for this is that the processors require the software vendors to "certify" every version with them before they allow merchants to use a given piece of software on their system, and the processor charges the software vendor a hefty sum for this "privilege".

Mileage may vary with other processors but this seems to be common practice. At my company you can go for the cheaper class B cert, where the vendor provides the support, or the more expensive class A, where I provide the support. Generally we provide half-assed support for about 50 (maybe more these days) different apps, both internal and 3rd party, and quality support for a couple.

Only a few seem to be Unix based. I know there is an old version of IC Verify that runs on Unix (dunno much about it, it's class B), but it's wildly out of date, doesn't seem to be used much, I don't think it's supported by the vendor (Cybercash) anymore and it's definitely not free.

Quazar is awesome.

[janic]

Quazar is a fantasic system.

The back office app is written with the Qt libs, it's i18n-ified (which was terribly important to us) and can handle multiple tax configurations (Canada's mix of HST - one tax, GST/PST - two taxes and a few bizzarre tax-on-tax situations we have as well).

At the checkout you can either use the backoffice app, or a dedicated POS app. It's written in TCL, so it can be customised any way you want. It is also suitable for running in the root window (ie: dickless machine with no WM) and is entirely keyboard driven. The last thing you want someone at the checkout doing is pointing and clicking.

I had an opportunity to spend a couple hours talking to one of the developers when they were in town doing an upgrade for one of their customers. He told me that there are alot of people that just download it and use the version that's there. Alot more start out that way, decide they really like it, then buy an upgrade licence. (which gets you periodic updates and source code, BTW)

The guys there are quite clueful, and are willing to help you do just about anything you want with the system, from setting up a single store, to having a distributed, or large centrally managed chain of stores.

This is one product I would have to say is well worth several times the price you pay for it.

Cheers!
John

My Humble Self-Plug

[Deimos_]

I wrote/write a point of sale system implemented in PHP using a MySQL backend. The license is GPL. You can download it at http://kfa.cx/products.php?product=WITS.

I am currently in the process of rolling out this software at my place of business, Raiford Gallery. We are a consignment based art gallery and hence the software is designed primarily around consignment point of sale.

MCVE

[benjamindees]

Mainstreet Credit Verification Engine is a cheap, well-documented, multi-platform processing backend that can be integrated with almost anything that you can find.

The Unix version of ICVerify has been discontinued, but they say they are 'working on' a new version that will support Linux.