Loading ...
For years several manufacturers have tried to sell web-based POS systems, but until now with limited success. The benefits of a web-based solution are clear: lower maintenance costs, easy to upgrade and above all accessible from anywhere.
But the downside of a internet based solution is equally clear: What happens when the internet connection fails? Yes, you’re out of luck, and have to fall back to pen & paper. This disadvantage has kept many retailers from going web-based, and rightly so, as internet connection do fail once in a while.
But now Google presented Google Gears. Google Gears is an open source browser extension that enables web applications to provide offline functionality using the following JavaScript APIs:
- Store and serve application resources locally
- Store data locally in a fully-searchable relational database
- Run asynchronous Javascript to improve application responsiveness
In short, Google Gears allows software manufacturers to create web-based applications that can be used off-line. Although Google Gears is still a beta product, there are already a number of sites using it. Now just wait until a Point Of Sale manufacturer implements Google Gears…
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi,
We make a web based point of sale system for small retailers (typically 1-5 locations and less than $10 million a year revenue).
Our solution is completely web/browser based. We’ve thought a lot about creating an emergency off line solution. I’ve looked at Google gears and it does look interesting.
BUT
What we have noticed is that small retailers are not overly concerned about going off line. Most businesses can get very stable internet connections and can also have a dial-up backup for emergencies.
I do think it’s an issue but I think it’s becoming less and less of an issue. Ironically just when the technology to over come it is becoming easier to implement.
-Justin from http://www.merchantos.com
I understand that people want everything to be web-based, but is that seriously what we need?
With web-based software you still need the front and back-ends. Just like before. Add to that the problems with the offline-mode.
“But it’s webby!” - When the offline-solution turns out to be that all the files, db’s etc are stored on the client… Is that really any better solution than a normal application?
In my point of view, reliability is high-up on the list. Having to go pen & paper when a cable is loose is a big no-no.
This network reliability issue of web based POS has been discussed for years. To overcome this network reliability issue, combinations of web services, JavaScripts and OCX may already be good enough to resolve that.
However, the value of this Google offering, IMHO, is the fact that it is open source.
> “But it’s webby!” -
> When the offline-solution turns out to
> be that all the files, db’s etc are stored
> on the client… Is that really any
> better solution than a normal application?
With this off-line solution, transactions can be transferred to the back office when network connection is available again. The local repository is basically a Local Temporary Repository. All data should eventually be centralized in the back office server. This facilitates central control of product management, customer management, inventory management and etc.
> I do think it’s an issue but I think
> it’s becoming less and less of an issue.
> Ironically just when the technology to
> over come it is becoming easier to implement.
Actually depending on your ISP, the availability could be as great as 99%, but people somehow may still worry about the 1% of chance that they lose (potentially big) sales orders.
Google’s offering hinted a great direction of the web based POS solutions: Local Temporary Repository. Web based POS solutions currently in the market, such as BOSSMILES.NET, DO offer local temporary repository feature to overcome network availability issues.
Development of web based POS solution has been a long way, it is great to see companies like Google shade some light here.
BTW, Happy New Year!
Stephen Poon
http://www.bossmiles.net
Leave a Comment