I own a retail store and we are 100% Mac. Our front counter/point of sale ("cash register" as a lot of customers call it), back room (for inventory, etc.), my office, etc. It was a simple choice, easy to set up, and requires minimal maintenance. I believe it also gives our store a unique feel, as everyone sees the iMac up front upon opening the door. A high percentage of them say something about it.
I should also say I've been a Mac user for a long time, and wouldn't have settled for anything else.
I own a retail store and we are 100% Mac. Our front counter/point of sale ("cash register" as a lot of customers call it), back room (for inventory, etc.), my office, etc. It was a simple choice, easy to set up, and requires minimal maintenance. I believe it also gives our store a unique feel, as everyone sees the iMac up front upon opening the door. A high percentage of them say something about it.
I should also say I've been a Mac user for a long time, and wouldn't have settled for anything else.
There is actually a small but growing movement in the POS world to use Mac Minis. There's also a much faster growing movement to strip Windows and HDs out of the POS and replace with linux and flash disks. Either way, both the users and integrators win.
There is actually a small but growing movement in the POS world to use Mac Minis. There's also a much faster growing movement to strip Windows and HDs out of the POS and replace with linux and flash disks. Either way, both the users and integrators win.
Interesting that the Apple Stores (the ones you can physically enter) use a wireless handheld device (not by Apple) for order taking. Anyone know the name of these units? Why Apple doesn't dress them up with their branding is beyond me. Something to work on for the new year, Steve.
There is actually a small but growing movement in the POS world to use Mac Minis. There's also a much faster growing movement to strip Windows and HDs out of the POS and replace with linux and flash disks. Either way, both the users and integrators win.
I agree on the Minis. Definitely ideal in most cases.
We were running a G4 tower and Cinema Display up front at the beginning (3.5 years ago). The monitor went south, and I replaced it with a Dell monitor. I couldn't handle that for very long, so now the tower and Dell monitor are in the back, and we put a G5 iMac (the last before Intel) up front. I wanted to keep the "Apple presence" up there, but a Mini + Apple display was more $$$ than the iMac. For us it made sense.
I can definitely see people running whatever monitor with a mini, especially if they're not running OS X. If things move toward the HDless systems, that's all the better. Our particular system makes it simple to run a basic server with the entire POS database. The future definitely looks bright!
Interesting that the Apple Stores (the ones you can physically enter) use a wireless handheld device (not by Apple) for order taking. Anyone know the name of these units? Why Apple doesn't dress them up with their branding is beyond me. Something to work on for the new year, Steve.
Our POS guys started offering these earlier this year. I'm not sure if it functions exactly like those at the Apple stores, but basically you can "ring up" a customer, to the point of payment. You give them a printed receipt with barcode, which then retrieves their order from the database at the register. The Apple ones might be able to accept credit card, but I'm not sure.
Anyhow, yeah, if these types of units were "spruced up", it'd be great. I believe the units we can get are practically identical to the Apple ones, maybe minus the card reader.
Apple could make serious headway in the POS/retail environment, IMO. As we all know, it's easy to set up and maintain, which is unlike a lot of other systems. I have friends in my same industry, all running Windows, and they deal with some problems I would REALLY rather avoid, especially during business hours.
Our POS guys started offering these earlier this year. I'm not sure if it functions exactly like those at the Apple stores, but basically you can "ring up" a customer, to the point of payment. You give them a printed receipt with barcode, which then retrieves their order from the database at the register. The Apple ones might be able to accept credit card, but I'm not sure.
Anyhow, yeah, if these types of units were "spruced up", it'd be great. I believe the units we can get are practically identical to the Apple ones, maybe minus the card reader.
Apple could make serious headway in the POS/retail environment, IMO. As we all know, it's easy to set up and maintain, which is unlike a lot of other systems. I have friends in my same industry, all running Windows, and they deal with some problems I would REALLY rather avoid, especially during business hours.
Mmmm... that's interesting.
I'd love to see Apple moving in to new markets like those you describe. There's no reason that the Apple user-centric philosophy can't be applied to virtually every industry.
I often wonder what an Apple designed hotel, hospital or car would be like...
Does sixth-form college count? I use my Mac every day there in a world of PCs. I can't get into the wireless network—college won't tell me the password. However, I do enjoy Bonjour networking by stealing an Ethernet cable from an used PC. I can access the Internet and everything! I love Mac.
Not Professionally yet... but I just bought a book on Objective-C and am teaching myself at the moment. I wish to master Objective-C, Ruby on Rails, AJAX, and Smalltalk before I do anything with it though, which could be 6-12 months away.
Other then that, I'm mostly just using my Mac to Study for the High School Proficiency Exam which is about a year and a half to 2 years away. I need to be 16 and I need to have been through the 10th grade once.. -_-
Sebastian
No no no. Just learn one of those, and do something with that. (Well, RoR and AJAX kinda go hand in hand.) Also, ignore Smalltalk. This isn't 1972.
I am somewhat surprised by the numbers, I thought the majority of people here were just home users. I know some of you have said what you use them for, what does everyone else use theirs for?
I own a small design shop In Calgary Alberta Canada.
I have Dual-Core 2.66 Intel at the office and dual 2.0 G5 at home that I use when I'm in no mood to come in to the shop.
I own a precast concrete manufactoring company and I have been using Macs for two years now. We now have 4 mac's in house and are converting everyone over. Granted, one new CoreDuo 17" iMac is running Windows but you have to start somewhere. Accounting packages are just not there yet for established companies.
So yes, I use a Core Duo Mini with 20" Cinema Display every day. I have a CD MBP 15" for travel.
I own a precast concrete manufactoring company and I have been using Macs for two years now. We now have 4 mac's in house and are converting everyone over. Granted, one new CoreDuo 17" iMac is running Windows but you have to start somewhere. Accounting packages are just not there yet for established companies.
So yes, I use a Core Duo Mini with 20" Cinema Display every day. I have a CD MBP 15" for travel.
I'm with you on the accounting, I have a book keeper AND an accountant.. I think I could eliminate the book keeper if there was something I could use that would play nice with quick books.. I think thats what the accountant uses..
Another area I'm surprised in the lack of software is drafting.. what happened?
I'm with you on the accounting, I have a book keeper AND an accountant.. I think I could eliminate the book keeper if there was something I could use that would play nice with quick books.. I think thats what the accountant uses..
Another area I'm surprised in the lack of software is drafting.. what happened?
flick.
AutoCad gave Apple the bird or something. Not sure. I use AutoCad 2006 LT and MS Access in Windows on a daily basis through Parallels. I can't live without them. The database is proprietery manfuacturing and delivery info. so it is not changing.
Quick Books Pro is now out for Macs, just in time for me to decide we may want to start using Quick Books Construction which is not availible on the Mac yet. My luck. We are still hashing it out but Apple really needs AutoCad and Access no matter how good some Apple drafting programs are and how great FileMaker is.
If I knew there was 5% of my market not being reached by a product I offered but not quite right, I would be on it in a heart beat because you can make money in niche markets if done correctly. AutoCad people are morons.
AutoCAD currently runs exclusively on Microsoft desktop operating systems. Versions for Unix and Macintosh were released in the 1980s, but these were later dropped.
Via Wikipedia
According to a chart further down it was dropped in 1992. I think it was due to Underwhelming demand for it at the time.
Comments
I should also say I've been a Mac user for a long time, and wouldn't have settled for anything else.
I own a retail store and we are 100% Mac. Our front counter/point of sale ("cash register" as a lot of customers call it), back room (for inventory, etc.), my office, etc. It was a simple choice, easy to set up, and requires minimal maintenance. I believe it also gives our store a unique feel, as everyone sees the iMac up front upon opening the door. A high percentage of them say something about it.
I should also say I've been a Mac user for a long time, and wouldn't have settled for anything else.
There is actually a small but growing movement in the POS world to use Mac Minis. There's also a much faster growing movement to strip Windows and HDs out of the POS and replace with linux and flash disks. Either way, both the users and integrators win.
There is actually a small but growing movement in the POS world to use Mac Minis. There's also a much faster growing movement to strip Windows and HDs out of the POS and replace with linux and flash disks. Either way, both the users and integrators win.
Interesting that the Apple Stores (the ones you can physically enter) use a wireless handheld device (not by Apple) for order taking. Anyone know the name of these units? Why Apple doesn't dress them up with their branding is beyond me. Something to work on for the new year, Steve.
There is actually a small but growing movement in the POS world to use Mac Minis. There's also a much faster growing movement to strip Windows and HDs out of the POS and replace with linux and flash disks. Either way, both the users and integrators win.
I agree on the Minis. Definitely ideal in most cases.
We were running a G4 tower and Cinema Display up front at the beginning (3.5 years ago). The monitor went south, and I replaced it with a Dell monitor. I couldn't handle that for very long, so now the tower and Dell monitor are in the back, and we put a G5 iMac (the last before Intel) up front. I wanted to keep the "Apple presence" up there, but a Mini + Apple display was more $$$ than the iMac. For us it made sense.
I can definitely see people running whatever monitor with a mini, especially if they're not running OS X. If things move toward the HDless systems, that's all the better. Our particular system makes it simple to run a basic server with the entire POS database. The future definitely looks bright!
Interesting that the Apple Stores (the ones you can physically enter) use a wireless handheld device (not by Apple) for order taking. Anyone know the name of these units? Why Apple doesn't dress them up with their branding is beyond me. Something to work on for the new year, Steve.
Our POS guys started offering these earlier this year. I'm not sure if it functions exactly like those at the Apple stores, but basically you can "ring up" a customer, to the point of payment. You give them a printed receipt with barcode, which then retrieves their order from the database at the register. The Apple ones might be able to accept credit card, but I'm not sure.
Anyhow, yeah, if these types of units were "spruced up", it'd be great. I believe the units we can get are practically identical to the Apple ones, maybe minus the card reader.
Apple could make serious headway in the POS/retail environment, IMO. As we all know, it's easy to set up and maintain, which is unlike a lot of other systems. I have friends in my same industry, all running Windows, and they deal with some problems I would REALLY rather avoid, especially during business hours.
Our POS guys started offering these earlier this year. I'm not sure if it functions exactly like those at the Apple stores, but basically you can "ring up" a customer, to the point of payment. You give them a printed receipt with barcode, which then retrieves their order from the database at the register. The Apple ones might be able to accept credit card, but I'm not sure.
Anyhow, yeah, if these types of units were "spruced up", it'd be great. I believe the units we can get are practically identical to the Apple ones, maybe minus the card reader.
Apple could make serious headway in the POS/retail environment, IMO. As we all know, it's easy to set up and maintain, which is unlike a lot of other systems. I have friends in my same industry, all running Windows, and they deal with some problems I would REALLY rather avoid, especially during business hours.
Mmmm... that's interesting.
I'd love to see Apple moving in to new markets like those you describe. There's no reason that the Apple user-centric philosophy can't be applied to virtually every industry.
I often wonder what an Apple designed hotel, hospital or car would be like...
Not Professionally yet... but I just bought a book on Objective-C and am teaching myself at the moment. I wish to master Objective-C, Ruby on Rails, AJAX, and Smalltalk before I do anything with it though, which could be 6-12 months away.
Other then that, I'm mostly just using my Mac to Study for the High School Proficiency Exam which is about a year and a half to 2 years away. I need to be 16 and I need to have been through the 10th grade once.. -_-
Sebastian
No no no. Just learn one of those, and do something with that. (Well, RoR and AJAX kinda go hand in hand.) Also, ignore Smalltalk. This isn't 1972.
I am somewhat surprised by the numbers, I thought the majority of people here were just home users. I know some of you have said what you use them for, what does everyone else use theirs for?
I own a small design shop In Calgary Alberta Canada.
I have Dual-Core 2.66 Intel at the office and dual 2.0 G5 at home that I use when I'm in no mood to come in to the shop.
I'm so busy I haven't had a chance to update our site, its about 6 months over due.
So yes, I use a Core Duo Mini with 20" Cinema Display every day. I have a CD MBP 15" for travel.
I own a precast concrete manufactoring company and I have been using Macs for two years now. We now have 4 mac's in house and are converting everyone over. Granted, one new CoreDuo 17" iMac is running Windows but you have to start somewhere. Accounting packages are just not there yet for established companies.
So yes, I use a Core Duo Mini with 20" Cinema Display every day. I have a CD MBP 15" for travel.
I'm with you on the accounting, I have a book keeper AND an accountant.. I think I could eliminate the book keeper if there was something I could use that would play nice with quick books.. I think thats what the accountant uses..
Another area I'm surprised in the lack of software is drafting.. what happened?
flick.
I'm with you on the accounting, I have a book keeper AND an accountant.. I think I could eliminate the book keeper if there was something I could use that would play nice with quick books.. I think thats what the accountant uses..
Another area I'm surprised in the lack of software is drafting.. what happened?
flick.
AutoCad gave Apple the bird or something. Not sure. I use AutoCad 2006 LT and MS Access in Windows on a daily basis through Parallels. I can't live without them. The database is proprietery manfuacturing and delivery info. so it is not changing.
Quick Books Pro is now out for Macs, just in time for me to decide we may want to start using Quick Books Construction which is not availible on the Mac yet. My luck. We are still hashing it out but Apple really needs AutoCad and Access no matter how good some Apple drafting programs are and how great FileMaker is.
If I knew there was 5% of my market not being reached by a product I offered but not quite right, I would be on it in a heart beat because you can make money in niche markets if done correctly. AutoCad people are morons.
I own a small design shop In Calgary Alberta Canada.
I have Dual-Core 2.66 Intel at the office and dual 2.0 G5 at home that I use when I'm in no mood to come in to the shop.
I'm so busy I haven't had a chance to update our site, its about 6 months over due.
We just went through a site upate. I am about sick of websites minus that work thing.
www.bargerandsons.com
AutoCad gave Apple the bird or something.
AutoCAD currently runs exclusively on Microsoft desktop operating systems. Versions for Unix and Macintosh were released in the 1980s, but these were later dropped.
Via Wikipedia
According to a chart further down it was dropped in 1992. I think it was due to Underwhelming demand for it at the time.