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Linux At the Point of Sale
NegativeK writes "I work at a local comic and games shop, and I've been kicking around what it would take to implement a barcode scanner and more detailed inventory control. Currently, the setup is a low-tech register that tracks general areas of sales: new comics, ccgs, Games Workshop, rpgs, etc. Requirements include FOSS on Linux, the ability to use a cheap scanner, datamining, and output in a useful format (perhaps OpenOffice spreadsheet). The idea hasn't been pitched to the shop owner yet, so ease of use is probably more important than anything — but breaking out the programming books to work on parts isn't out of the question for me. Assuming the actual register stays, what resources are out there for a barcode/inventory implementation?"
This comment will not be appreciated by Linux die-hards: I recommend you to opt for a relatively affordable and popular off-the shelf product. Why not something that you hack together from a collection of open source libraries? Well, if you will stop working at the shop then at least your boss will have access to support. Yes, I know that there are plenty of forums for support of OS software, but typically these are mainly good if you are already pretty techy.
In this case, I don't see the need for a religious OS war. Just buy a decent an popular tool, no matter what the OS is.
Don't do it.
For you it is "kicking around", a fun project, a proof of concept. For your boss it is a tool, essential for his business, that has to work flawlessly.
Now ask yourself a few questions:
Besides, realize that POS software is the least exciting thing you could work on. If it is not your job, forget it. If you want to tinker with linux and learn things, do something fun.
Remember: you are not the first.
</paternalist advice>
I realize this is Slashdot, but for your owner's business why does this have to be an open source solution?
There are plenty of businesses who are quite satisfied with solutions from Intuit or Microsoft that are very affordable, easy to use, and much more "out of the box" than any open product.
And if your owner is already using QuickBooks or Small Business Accounting, then a POS solution can tie directly into it.
Remember that your employer is going to pay either way. Either by paying you to piece together a solution for him or by paying for off-the-shelf software. You would be doing a disservice to your employer to only recommend one side of the fence.
-David
Not only that, but if any programming is involved, now the manager is doubly-screwed when this employee finally moves out of his parent's house and quits his comic book shop job. If there's a problem with the system, or some added functionality needed, now he's got to find someone who's both a programmer and willing to work for minimum wage.
I could not justify my existence if I were a turkey farmer. Would I terminate myself? Undoubtably, yes.
Actually, quite the opposite. In that situation, the manager now needs to pay the programmer a much larger wage to keep working on it, or to train someone new.
You guys always think of the client's interests, but you seem to forget that the client's interests fall into five areas -- not spending money, not spending time, not spending effort, not learning anything new, and still getting lots of work out of the vendor. That's business.
The trick with any lock-in style effort is to balance the client's interests with the vendor's interests in order to achieve a relationship that grows both businesses, ultimately giving each side more money with less effort down the road.
There's nothing wrong with supplying a solution that requires a compatent and trained individual to maintain it. And there's nothing wrong with the original vendor being in the significantly better position to do so. In can actually be a great thing for the client when you consider the extra work that a vendor can do when the vendor knows it's a long-term commitment.
In my company, we call it "aligned interests". It's the "you lose, we lose; you win, we win" philosophy that ultimately penalizes everyone should either party quit at any stage, and rewards everyone each time either party continues forward.
It's also called being proud of and empassioned in your work.
What you guys keep suggesting, by favouring the client in every stage, is more of a "you lose, we lose; you win, we lose" scenario because when everything pans out perfectly for the client, and the solution works, and their business grows, the original vendor is undoubtedly replaced by someone cheaper -- or no one at all.
Long-term business just doesn't work that way. The business world isn't the cosumer world where you sell a product, and hope to never pseak with the customer again -- because customer service and technical support are expensive to supply -- and hope the product breaks just after the warranty period -- so the customer comes and buys another.
The idea of "aligned interests" is that the client and the vendor both want the same thing and both benefit from that thing. The client wants a solution that lasts forever. The vendor needs to want that too. The client wants to get the best quality parts. The vendow needs to want that too. Otherwise you get today's consumer computers -- cheap parts, low-quality components, crap customer service, worse techincal support, and really easy to purchase a new one. The companies tend to start with the letters "D", "G", "A", or "H". And of course that's the case, they spend less money, charge more, and profit more. The only people who get screwed are the customers -- who've come to expect the products to be crap, but don't realize why.
In the business world, you can't throw out your iPod and get a new one when it breaks. In the business world you can't sell an iPod and replace it when it breaks. In the business world, you have to take the broken iPod and not only replace the device, but also replace the data stored on the device. Your clients are not consumers -- they don't consume your product/service. In the business world, the solution that you provide to your clients needs to be reliable enough for your client to base his business on -- if that solution is integral to their business, obviously.