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GeneralRe: Get methods from class file Pin
Ya3sam5-Nov-07 1:41
Ya3sam5-Nov-07 1:41 
GeneralRe: Get methods from class file Pin
Pete O'Hanlon5-Nov-07 1:48
mvePete O'Hanlon5-Nov-07 1:48 
GeneralRe: Get methods from class file Pin
Ya3sam5-Nov-07 3:48
Ya3sam5-Nov-07 3:48 
QuestionCalculate CPU Percentage of processes in a dual core system Pin
Lakshmi Venkatesh4-Nov-07 22:56
Lakshmi Venkatesh4-Nov-07 22:56 
AnswerRe: Calculate CPU Percentage of processes in a dual core system Pin
Luc Pattyn5-Nov-07 2:13
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QuestionPackage that can be used for POS Pin
ChrisFarrugia4-Nov-07 22:36
ChrisFarrugia4-Nov-07 22:36 
AnswerRe: Package that can be used for POS Pin
Pete O'Hanlon4-Nov-07 22:38
mvePete O'Hanlon4-Nov-07 22:38 
AnswerRe: Package that can be used for POS Pin
martin_hughes4-Nov-07 23:48
martin_hughes4-Nov-07 23:48 
ChrisFarrugia wrote:
Is there some package that is available that allows me to do this?


I've done a lot of research into PoS in the past (admittedly getting on for 10 years ago now... but probably still relevant).

The problem on the hardware (cashdraws, barcode scanners, receipt printers) side of things is that there aren't many standards governing how these devices should work - each manufacturer decides which control character(s) open the draw, activate the scanner, starts the printer etc. Sometimes you can get lucky and find Windows driver support, but this is the exception rather than the norm. So basically you either end up supporting just a few specific devices, or spend the rest of your life coding in support for every device that comes along.

Of the two options, there are compelling reasons to go for the first:
1) Regardless of whether you want to or not, you will become both a hardware and software vendor because no retailer will touch you if they have to manage multiple contracts/companies for both hardware and software
2) As a hardware vendor you'll need to cut costs by buying in as much bulk as possible - impossible to do if you support too many products
3) You'll never have the resources to cater for every device going

There are some other concerns that you should consider:
- Most commercial products from the big players (IBM/HP etc.) are geared towards the big (or wanting to become big) retailers - think Walmart, Tesco, Toys R Us, Borders etc. You'd think this would leave you with a huge customer base of small to medium sized businesses. Unfortunately it doesn't because a)Most small businesses - say one or two outlets - don't need a sophisticated PoS system and b)Your product will be (comparitively) very expensive which will be hard for smaller businesses to justify.

- There is no such thing as a one-size fits all PoS system, even within the same sector. I've worked for a number of Bookstores (as an Area Manager) and every single one had different procedures and processes for handling the same tasks. Sure it's possible to develop flexible software, but consider how many resources you'd need to throw at such a product and then weigh that up against how much you could make.

-Medium sized businesses (which in reality will be your potential customer base) also create their own problems for you:
a) Medium sized companies looking to get big won't touch you unless you have a proven track record.
b) Consider the amount of support "traffic" that a company of 20 outlets will generate, and the kind of resources you'll need in place to cope with it.
c) Retailing moves at a fair old pace and your product must be able to at least move at that pace, but ideally will anticpate change ahead of time. If it doesn't your product will be shown the door very quickly.

So all doom and gloom then? Well not necessarily, but first of all if you want to succeed you should first abandon the idea of rolling your own solution from scratch and become an implementor - say of the Dynamics products which Pete pointed out. What I will say is that 10 years ago when I went down the same route as you I soon realised that the risks were significant and the potential rewards relatively tiny.




Me: Can you see the "up" arrow?
User:Errr...ummm....no.
Me: Can you see an arrow that points upwards?
User: Oh yes, I see it now!

-Excerpt from a support call taken by me, 08/31/2007

GeneralRe: Package that can be used for POS Pin
ChrisFarrugia5-Nov-07 0:39
ChrisFarrugia5-Nov-07 0:39 
AnswerRe: Package that can be used for POS Pin
MickCurley5-Nov-07 11:24
MickCurley5-Nov-07 11:24 
QuestionComposite Control Skin Support In Design-Time Pin
neco neco4-Nov-07 22:27
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QuestionWebRequest class questions Pin
Stevo Z4-Nov-07 22:14
Stevo Z4-Nov-07 22:14 
AnswerRe: WebRequest class questions Pin
B.A4-Nov-07 23:49
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Questiondate and time problem Pin
NewToAspDotNet4-Nov-07 21:50
NewToAspDotNet4-Nov-07 21:50 
AnswerRe: date and time problem Pin
N a v a n e e t h4-Nov-07 22:04
N a v a n e e t h4-Nov-07 22:04 
AnswerRe: date and time problem Pin
pmarfleet4-Nov-07 22:12
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QuestionGet response stream using java API. Pin
Prateek G4-Nov-07 21:29
Prateek G4-Nov-07 21:29 
AnswerRe: Get response stream using java API. Pin
M LN Rao4-Nov-07 22:17
M LN Rao4-Nov-07 22:17 
GeneralRe: Get response stream using java API. Pin
Prateek G4-Nov-07 23:29
Prateek G4-Nov-07 23:29 
Questionsafely bind data using xml file Pin
cyn84-Nov-07 21:07
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QuestionWinForms and WinForms Pin
ziwez04-Nov-07 20:46
ziwez04-Nov-07 20:46 
AnswerRe: WinForms and WinForms Pin
N a v a n e e t h4-Nov-07 22:07
N a v a n e e t h4-Nov-07 22:07 
AnswerRe: WinForms and WinForms Pin
Christian Graus4-Nov-07 22:09
protectorChristian Graus4-Nov-07 22:09 
AnswerRe: WinForms and WinForms Pin
Pete O'Hanlon4-Nov-07 22:21
mvePete O'Hanlon4-Nov-07 22:21 
QuestionGetting Contents of Address Bar..... Pin
pavya_Cool4-Nov-07 20:29
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