Update of /cvsroot/openposs/Server/docs
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faq.tex
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\documentclass{article}
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\begin{titlepage}
Open Point Of Sale System (OpenPOSS) FAQ
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\begin{document}
\section*{Preface}
\addcontentsline{toc}{section}{Preface}
This FAQ, like OpenPOSS, is a work in progress. It will be updated rather frequently and will (hopefully) represent the current state of OpenPOSS\@. The list of questions will be changed and your question may very well not be on the list. Do not, however, fret --- \htmladdnormallink{our site}{http://openposs.sourceforge.net} can point you to any number of helpful developers, mailing list archives, and gurus on mountains --- all of whom you may consult.
\section[About]{About OpenPOSS}
\subsection{What is a Point of Sale (POS) System?}
Put simply, the Open POS System (OpenPOSS) is an Open Source, browser-based point of sale system for traditional small businesses.
\subsection{How is OpenPOSS different?}
OpenPOSS is an Open Source project, and in the spirit of the Open Source movement, we aim to provide up-to-the-minute solutions, free of cost and without the burden of unnecessary bells and whistles.
\subsection{What are the features that OpenPOSS supports?}
The first release, 0.1.0, will have the basic features that are expected of any point of sale (POS) system. We will be adding other features and fine-tuning the existing features for the final release. The first version will offer features related to user management, transactions management, inventory management and customer tracking among other features. Standard features like on-line administration and system management panels will also be available in the initial release. Currently, OpenPOSS is pre-alpha and is not yet usable.
\subsection{What is OpenPOSS not about?}
FIXME: What aren't we about?
\subsection{Will I my employees need any training to use this new software?}
The entire system has been made so that users can start using it as soon as it is installed. The user-interface has been made as intuitive as possible. The user can also change the look-and-feel to suit her preferences and convenience. You can visit \htmladdnormallink{our site}{http://openposs.sourceforge.net} where you will find documentation on getting the most out of this software.
\section[Installation]{Installing OpenPOSS}
\subsection{What are the hardware requirements?}
Currently, the system will run on any machine that has a web browser. The POS itself uses the web browser to interface with a "back-end" server. Thus a 486 running, for instance, X, twm, and Netscape would be a fully capable client. The server has more hardware requirements: a 200mhz machine with 128MB of RAM will easily satisfy the processing requirements of a small to medium setup (1-10 points of sale). The primary requirement of the back-end server is storage space for the database.
\subsection{Do I have to install PHP or Java on my machine?}
The actual POS machine needs only a browser. For the back-end server, a standard mid-level PC with Linux (or any OS of your choice) will suffice. The software to drive the OpenPOSS will reside on this computer and you will have to install PHP and Java support on this machine.
\subsection{What are the minimum software requirements?}
At the minimum, you need Linux (or any OS of your choice) installed. You will have to install PHP x.x.x and Java Virtual Machine (JVM) 1.3.x. The server software will install on any system that is capable of running a web server and PHP. Also, some type of database is required. Since the OpenPOS System employs the ADODB database class library, your database choices include: MySQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase, Sybase SQL Anywhere, Informix, PostgreSQL, FrontBase, Interbase (Firebird and Borland variants), FoxPro, Access, ADO and ODBC.
\subsection{Do I have to upgrade my hardware?}
In most cases you will not need to upgrade your hardware. A list of supported hardware will be available on \htmladdnormallink{our site}{http://openposs.sourceforge.net}. The site will also have a mailing list where you can post any questions related to the product. Our developers are more than happy to answer your queries regarding the system.
\subsection{I have certain hardware. Will OpenPOSS work on it?}
Probably. FIXME: What kind of answer is that?
\section[Availability]{Getting OpenPOSS}
\subsection{Where do I get the binaries?}
You can get our binaries from \htmladdnormallink{our site}{http://openposs.sourceforge.net}. Currently we are at a pre-alpha version; please check back later for a stable public release.
\section[Develoment and Contributions]{Contributing to OpenPOSS}
\subsection{Where do I get the source from?}
If you are a developer and would like to contribute, you can get our source from \htmladdnormallink{our development site}{http://sourceforge.net/projects/openposs/}.
\section*{Credits}
\addcontentsline{toc}{section}{Credits}
This FAQ was written by \htmladdnormallink{Madhavan Menon (menon\_ma...@ya...)}{mailto:menon\_ma...@ya...}; it was formatted and edited by \htmladdnormallink{Michael Greenberg (mi...@yo...)}{mailto:mi...@yo...}.
\emph{Last modified \today.}
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