Novell, NCR Sign Linux Pact for POS Gear

Published: May 23, 2006

by Timothy Prickett Morgan

Linux isn't just for servers and desktops. It is also for embedded devices such as cash registers and kiosks. Perhaps more than any other commercial Linux distributor, Novell has been active in fomenting the use of Linux in point-of-sale devices. Last week, NCR signed up to use SUSE Linux on its own brand of point-of-sale gear.

In January 2004, Novell formed an alliance with IBM to deliver SUSE Linux on Big Blue's POS gear, including cash registers and in-store servers. IBM and Novell co-developed the Linux Point of Service 9 version of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 (for the in-store servers) and Novell Linux Desktop 9 (for the cash registers) and launched them together in April 2005. IBM brands it as the Retail Environment for SUSE Linux. One of the key features of the Linux variant is that it can be remotely administered and patched, which means stores do not have to send out Linux nerds to the stores to cope with issues. Some 30 vendors of retail software applications support the POS variant of SUSE Linux.

NCR said last week that it will use the Linux Point of Service stack on its RealPOS point of sale terminals immediately, and on its EasyPoint kiosks and FastLane self checkout terminals in the future.