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Windows POS in an Apple store

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Toronto, 2002.11.24

Today Charlie and I wandered into a Apple shop just off of Bay Street. There was the usual collection of semi-religious posters on the wall and expensive crud in boxes everywhere, but what really caught my eye was the dingy 14" monitor at the counter. Their point of sale software was running on Windows '98. I couldn't help but wonder if this was because:

  1. developing an Apple-based system would be too expensive

  2. dedicating an Apple box to the point of sale counter would be too expensive

  3. finding someone who could code for any of the Apple platforms was difficult

  4. knowing which platform to develop for was hard

  5. all of the above

rand()m quote

An era may be said to end when its basic illusions are exhausted.

—Arthur Miller