Post #85,248
3/3/03 1:06:17 AM
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possible side venture, suggestions?
What's up
One of the guys at work asked if I'd be interested in computerizing his girlfriend's mother's business. I haven't talked with her yet, she's only in the office on Tuesday - so at the moment I only know what he's told me.
She owns a number of weight-loss stores(12 in Houston and 2 in Austin) and everything is currently done on paper.
Each store has a store-front with goods for sale. He mentioned inventory tracking and point-of-sale with UPC scanning abilities.
They also offer weight plan services, for which customer information would have to be tracked. Some of it is medically related with doctor referrals.
I suspect the best plan-of-action would be to computerize the main location first. Bring the other sites up once the kinks are worked out.
questions
First things first - what I should know about having my own business? Make that a side business - I don't plan to quit my job over this one venture.
Any good references for business software for Linux? I'd prefer to recommend a non-Windows solution and suspect Linux would be an easier sell than OS/2 due to cost and the positive media hype over Linux(what gets published about OS/2 tends to be the annual "it's dead, Jim"). One plus - the guy at work knows me well enough that he told her I'd probably suggest something other than windows. I suspect that's due to me turning him onto Mozilla and OpenOffice :-)
Backup recommendations(hardware/software)?
What would the rates be for doing something like this?
thoughts on real-time-update vs nightly dial-up update?
Preloaded Linux or roll-my-own hardware?
any other comments/suggestions?
Thanx!
Darrell Spice, Jr.
[link|http://www.spiceware.org/|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
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Post #85,259
3/3/03 8:42:50 AM
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Would you have these questions if offering an Ecom solution?
If no go with OS2 if yes than linux is a reasonable decision. My first rule of thumb on hardware is buy it from some place who does house calls for warranty work and who lives close enough to physically beat if something breaks. Get the main outfit working then the sattelites. Nightly dialup reconciliation should be fine. Daily Incremental backups after sync and weekly full backups being taken offsight for DR. I like [link|http://www.arkeia.com/|http://www.arkeia.com/] for backups but others doing daily linux archiving will have current suggestions. On rates find out what going rate is and go under that. Ensure that it is hourly but give a good faith estimate of time involved in writing detailing what is and is not included. This will save hard feelings later. Try to build a cushion into the estimate so you are secure that you can meet or beat it.
luck,
Bill
will work for cash and other incentives [link|http://home.tampabay.rr.com/boxley/resume/Resume.html|skill set]
questions, help? [link|mailto:pappas@catholic.org|email pappas at catholic.org]
\ufffdOmni Gaul Delenda est!\ufffd Ceasar
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Post #85,275
3/3/03 11:36:03 AM
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Also, consider eCS on client, linux in back office
That's a combo that can pack a very solid punch, in both stability, network security, and ease of use. --\r\n-------------------------------------------------------------------\r\n* Jack Troughton jake at consultron.ca *\r\n* [link|http://consultron.ca|http://consultron.ca] [link|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca] *\r\n* Kingston Ontario Canada [link|news://news.consultron.ca|news://news.consultron.ca] *\r\n-------------------------------------------------------------------
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Post #85,286
3/3/03 12:20:55 PM
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For a multi-store system . .
Look at Vigilant's Linux RealTime Multi-site. It provides complete control from a central server with all data always current, but if a connection goes down (even in the middle of a sale), the store is still in complete operation. Data is automatically synchronized when the connection has been back up for a few minutes.
Each store needs a Linux server, but workstations can be Windows, OS/2 or Linux. The system is very mature and has a great degree of flexibility. Customization is available. [link|http://www.aaxnet.com/product/vigil00.html|Start here].
Real time vs. nightly: the reason Vigilant went Linux RealTime is that small businesses don't have the discipline for nightly polling. When something goes wrong, they don't understand what to do and just steam on ahead with data files all messed up.
Vigilant POS, Order entry and eCommerce front ends can be combined for maximum flexibility.
Caution, some "realtime" systems break down if the connection is lost. You don't want your stores dead if that happens.
As to rates: they vary wildly. On-site rates run from $75/hr to $200/hr. I do on-site work at $90/hr to $120/hr + travel, depending on the mix of routine desktop and server work. Some consultants are considerably higher. I try to maximize the amount of work that's done in-house, and give a reduced rate for that.
For something like a store installation, I bid fixed price for the core work and hourly for the less predictable stuff.
Roll your own hardware, but make sure it's top quality. The reason to roll your own is you can keep a rotable spares pool and have systems back up within hours. You are free to simply gut the machine and replace everything if you can't identify the problem cause immediately. Brand Name can endless hours on the phone and weeks to get fixed (proprietary parts) unless you have an expensive service contract - and even then . . .
DAT tape is a good backup. Where money is very tight we use reconditioned drives. Some back up to CD-RW, but this, of course, is only for the working data, it can't back up whole servers like tape can. We work with some software VARs who's software reminds the user to back up when you exit (like QuickBooks does). These need to back up to disk type media (Zip or CD-RW).
For backup, we use tar (with a verify) or bru for Linux, NovaBack for Windows. NovaBack is simple enough the client can understand it and can be walked through a file restore on the phone.
UPC scanning is easy, since you use a wedge device. The software doesn't have to support bar code, it thinks the input is from the keyboard.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
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Post #85,310
3/3/03 1:37:29 PM
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Andrew - is that page *supposed* to look like that?
It looks like you've created too many columns (three in stead of two) by mistake, and the left-side-bar and content are in columns two and three in stead of one and two. Or something like that... Anyway, here's how it looks in my (alack and alas, Infernal Exploiter) browser:
[image|http://www.saunalahti.fi/crconrad/aax_top.jpg||||]
and
[image|http://www.saunalahti.fi/crconrad/aax_btm.jpg||||]
(No, *I* don't know WTF is up with all the whitespace at the bottom of the pics. I ain't no Imaging Wizard.)
[link|mailto:MyUserId@MyISP.CountryCode|Christian R. Conrad]
(I live in Finland, and my e-mail in-box is at the Saunalahti company.)
Your lies are of Microsoftian Scale and boring to boot. Your 'depression' may be the closest you ever come to recognizing truth: you have no 'inferiority complex', you are inferior - and something inside you recognizes this. - [link|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/content/show?contentid=71575|Ashton Brown]
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Post #85,325
3/3/03 2:37:37 PM
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looks fine in Mozilla
Darrell Spice, Jr.
[link|http://www.spiceware.org/|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
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Post #85,330
3/3/03 3:11:51 PM
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Caused by screen resolution above . .
1024x768. I'll insert a br clear=left to fix that. Thanks
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
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Post #85,334
3/3/03 3:19:17 PM
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odd - I'm at 1280x1024
(checking in ie) - hmm, fonts are much smaller.
... making the fonts bigger in IE clears it up
... making the fonts smaller in Mozilla causes the problem to appear
Darrell Spice, Jr.
[link|http://www.spiceware.org/|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
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Post #85,324
3/3/03 2:37:07 PM
3/3/03 2:41:09 PM
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looks interesting - thanx!
FYI - the links to documents on Vigilant's site are 404. Looks like they rearranged a bit.
Darrell Spice, Jr.
[link|http://www.spiceware.org/|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
Edited by SpiceWare
March 3, 2003, 02:41:09 PM EST
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Post #85,338
3/3/03 3:52:01 PM
3/3/03 3:52:55 PM
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URLs Corrected
[link|http://www.vigilant.com/products/windows/pricing.html|Windows Pricing ]
[link|http://www.vigilant.com/products/linux/pricing.html|Linux Pricing ]
[link|http://www.vigilant.com/products/basics/pricing.html|Basics Pricing ]
[link|http://www.vigilant.com/products/asp/pricing.html|ASP Pricing ]
hth
/edited to correct subject line
[link|mailto:jbrabeck@attbi.com|Joe]
Edited by jbrabeck
March 3, 2003, 03:52:55 PM EST
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Post #85,342
3/3/03 4:12:00 PM
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Those MORONS!
They've put flash on all the pages now. No wonder people call me because they can't find them in search engines.
There's got to be a special level of hell for Web developers who use Flash where it need not be used.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
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Post #85,827
3/5/03 4:21:45 PM
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update
Finally talked with her today, she'd left early yesterday for "Fat Tuesday". Lots of folks from Louisianna end up in Houston so Mardi Gras is a big event here. Hmm, surprised I've not seen a [link|http://www.gambinosbakery.com/kingcakehistory.html|King Cake] at work yet. If you haven't had one - eat it carefully else you might swallow the baby :-)
We're going to meet up at their main store towards the end of next week so I can see what they do. Kevin(the guy I work with) said he didn't see any barcodes on the items they sell, so scanners may not be needed.
I've looked over Vigilant's (pretty crappy) site and the software looks promising. I've submitted an info-request so I'll have something to show her next week.
As far as Each store needs a Linux server, but workstations can be Windows, OS/2 or Linux. - They have nothing now, thus no legacy Windows apps to support. Any reason not to have the same computer as server & client at the stores? How much horsepower/memory would that need - would 500MHz/256MB be more than adequate?
One new thing came up - time clock. I saw something about an optional "Canadian Payroll" but nothing else.
Mucho thanx for the help so far :-)
Darrell Spice, Jr.
[link|http://www.spiceware.org/|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
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Post #85,916
3/5/03 10:49:00 PM
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Re: update
Yes, whoever's doing the Vigilant site must be a relative or something.
You should be able to use the local server as the point of sale workstation as well. 500-MHz and 256-Megs certainly ought to be more than adequate for the Linux version.
Vigilant has only Canadian payroll and has been in no hurry to implement U.S. payroll because there are so many programs available for that. I know of a Linux timeclock program if you need one.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
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Post #85,934
3/6/03 12:12:50 AM
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thanx
I'll find out more about their time clock requirements when I talk with them next.
Darrell Spice, Jr.
[link|http://www.spiceware.org/|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
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Post #91,068
3/24/03 2:11:04 PM
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DVD
The first thing you should do is speak to your company's HR dept - you never know what may arise - a conflict of interest, for instance if another company in your mega-corporation does business with a similar shop.
Stay away from tapes if you can. DAT tape drives in particular have caused me no end of problems. DVD writers are now cheap. If you're looking at < 4.7 GB after (g)zip, then it may well be your most cost-effective solution.
One thing I haven't seen is documentation and training. It sounds like the users are totally non-computer-literate so you're going to have to budget cdonsiderable time here. Remember the KISS principle.
qts
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Post #91,131
3/24/03 5:26:37 PM
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good idea
I don't see any conflict, but I'll check with HR anyway.
hmm, hadn't thought about DVD backup. I doubt they'll have that much data.
Darrell Spice, Jr. [link|http://www.spiceware.org/cgi-bin/spa.pl?album=./Artistic%20Overpass|Artistic Overpass]\n[link|http://www.spiceware.org/|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
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Post #91,129
3/24/03 5:24:29 PM
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mom & dad are back in Mexico - side-job project resumes
I found [link|http://www.semicron.com/|this] company which has POS hardware for sale - things like [link|http://www.semicron.com/cherrykeyboards.html|POS Keyboards], [link|http://www.semicron.com/poledisplay.html|POS display] and [link|http://www.semicron.com/cashdrawer.html|Cash Drawers]. Anything to know about these, or do they all follow standards?
For connecting the stores to the main office - what do you recommend for security - VPN over the internet?
Darrell Spice, Jr. [link|http://www.spiceware.org/cgi-bin/spa.pl?album=./Artistic%20Overpass|Artistic Overpass]\n[link|http://www.spiceware.org/|SpiceWare] - We don't do Windows, it's too much of a chore
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