History of Point of Sales: IBM 3650 and 3660 Store Systems
In August of 1973 IBM announced the IBM 3650 and 3660 Store Systems
In 1973 new registers that were driven by computers were introduced, such as the IBM 3653 Store System and the NCR 2150 that were, in essence, a mainframe computer packaged as a store controller that could control 128 IBM 3653/3663 Point of Sale Registers. This system was the first commercial use of client-server technology, peer to peer communications, and Local Area Network (LAN) simultaneous backup and remote initialization. Other computer-based manufacturers were Regitel, TRW, and Datachecker.
1973 also brought the introduction of the UPC barcode readers to the point of sale systems.
By mid-1974, IBM 3653 Store System was installed in Pathmark Stores in New Jersey and Dillards Department Stores. Programmability allowed retailers to be more creative.
In 1979 Gene Mosher's Old Canal Cafe in Syracuse, New York was using POS software written by Mosher that ran on an Apple II to take customer orders at the restaurant's front entrance and print complete preparation details in the restaurant's kitchen. In that novel context, customers would often proceed to their tables to find their food waiting for them already. This software included real time labor and food cost reports.
In 1985 Mosher introduced the first touchscreen-driven, color graphic, POS interface. This software ran on the Atari ST, the world's first consumer-level color graphic computer. By the end of the 20th century Mosher's promotion of his unpatented software paradigm had resulted in its worldwide adoption by cash register manufacturers and other POS software developers as the de facto standard for point of sale software systems.
In 1987, the POS systems became mostly based on PC technology with the introduction of the IBM 4683. The system consisted of a PC-based controller and thin client based POS workstations. The system required an IBM AS/400 server to be in the network. The 4683 is still used today by some retailers.
In 1973 new registers that were driven by computers were introduced, such as the IBM 3653 Store System and the NCR 2150 that were, in essence, a mainframe computer packaged as a store controller that could control 128 IBM 3653/3663 Point of Sale Registers. This system was the first commercial use of client-server technology, peer to peer communications, and Local Area Network (LAN) simultaneous backup and remote initialization. Other computer-based manufacturers were Regitel, TRW, and Datachecker.
1973 also brought the introduction of the UPC barcode readers to the point of sale systems.
By mid-1974, IBM 3653 Store System was installed in Pathmark Stores in New Jersey and Dillards Department Stores. Programmability allowed retailers to be more creative.
In 1979 Gene Mosher's Old Canal Cafe in Syracuse, New York was using POS software written by Mosher that ran on an Apple II to take customer orders at the restaurant's front entrance and print complete preparation details in the restaurant's kitchen. In that novel context, customers would often proceed to their tables to find their food waiting for them already. This software included real time labor and food cost reports.
In 1985 Mosher introduced the first touchscreen-driven, color graphic, POS interface. This software ran on the Atari ST, the world's first consumer-level color graphic computer. By the end of the 20th century Mosher's promotion of his unpatented software paradigm had resulted in its worldwide adoption by cash register manufacturers and other POS software developers as the de facto standard for point of sale software systems.
In 1987, the POS systems became mostly based on PC technology with the introduction of the IBM 4683. The system consisted of a PC-based controller and thin client based POS workstations. The system required an IBM AS/400 server to be in the network. The 4683 is still used today by some retailers.