Linux gains modestly in retail systems
The number of computerized cash registers using the Linux operating system grew by 185 percent in 2002, a new study says, but Linux still has only 4 percent of the overall market.
- Shankland covered the tech industry for more than 25 years and was a science writer for five years before that. He has deep expertise in microprocessors, digital photography, computer hardware and software, internet standards, web technology, and more.
Linux lags Microsoft Windows, which has 69 percent of the total market for point-of-sale terminals, and IBM's 4690 operating system, with 17 percent, according to a study by IHL Consulting Group.
"Linux is starting to gain traction in several segments, such as restaurants...but at only 4 percent of total shipments in 2002, it still has a long way to go before being a serious contender," IHL President Greg Buzek said in a statement. In addition, few companies that embraced Linux decided to do so across their entire chain of stores, the study said.
Point-of-sale terminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated networked computers, often equipped with bar-code readers and credit-card readers. When customers buy goods, the terminals send information to back-end servers that update inventory and financial records.
The overall point-of-sale market decreased 2 percent from 2001 to 2002.
IBM in particular is an advocate of Linux in the point-of-sale market, winning deals with companies such as paint store Sherwin-Williams.
Big Blue's advocacy has led to trouble, though. SCO Group, which sells versions of Unix for companies such as McDonald's and Sherwin-Williams, has sued IBM for more than $1 billion, alleging among other things that Big Blue encouraged the illegal use of SCO software to make it easier for Sherwin-Williams and others to move from SCO software to Linux.