Omg lowe's uses linux!11!!!!1!one!!!!!

[Redrazor39]

I was at Lowe's hardware store the other day and I saw on the cash register computers the kicker menu. The actual store program is a text interface, but I saw KDE3!!! It was awesome (lol-- this is super amazing to me). I didn't know which distro it was because it was KDE 3 with a Lowe's background to it.


Great to see Linux getting into businesses.

[init1]

I was at Lowe's hardware store the other day and I saw on the cash register computers the kicker menu. The actual store program is a text interface, but I saw KDE3!!! It was awesome (lol-- this is super amazing to me). I didn't know which distro it was because it was KDE 3 with a Lowe's background to it.


Great to see Linux getting into businesses.
Cool, I've never noticed before. I'll have to check to see if the one near me does that :D

[LittleLORDevil]

Wow, slowly but surely the light is spreading.

[cyberdork33]

Burlington Coat Factory uses RedHat too I believe...

More on topic, Home Depot's self-checkout registers run Windows. I have had one crash on me halfway through a transaction. They take forever to bootup.

[toupeiro]

As if big air-conditioned warehouse shopping and friendlier service wasn't reason enough, now I have another reason to choose Lowe's over Home Depot.

[wilsonmuse]

Lowes has used Linux for years. They use their own "distro" called Lowes' Linux. If you watch one boot up you'll see an ASCII image of a penguin inside the Lowes logo.

When I worked there, the only computers I've ever had trouble with were the paint machine computers. They'd error out and the only way to fix it was a reboot. They ran WindowsXP.

[estyles]

Meijer uses Windows AFAIK. And it looks like 98 or 2000. Had a register completely crap out when I was in line, and it popped up the "system is low on virtual memory" dialog box. They had biometric login devices for the cashier, but some crappy-*** computers for registers. Talk about mis-spent IT budget.

My company, I'm sorry to say, uses XP on our registers and store computers. But XP isn't terrible as long as it's well-maintained. Linux would be better, and the guy in charge of IT would love to change.

[days_of_ruin]

I was at Lowe's hardware store the other day and I saw on the cash register computers the kicker menu. The actual store program is a text interface, but I saw KDE3!!! It was awesome (lol-- this is super amazing to me). I didn't know which distro it was because it was KDE 3 with a Lowe's background to it.


Great to see Linux getting into businesses.

You sure it wasn't windows?:lolflag:

[klange]

It was KDE 3. I too have been to a Lowe's and saw a PoS with KDE 3. Also Firefox.

I let out a clearly audible "ahh...".

(I bought an LED conversion kit for my Mini-Mag light)

[TravisNewman]

Yep, it's Lowe's Linux. I applied for a job there once. Based on the bootup sequence it looks like it's based on Red Hat (the job app computers were off when I got there-- always be early when applying for a job).

[cardinals_fan]

I was at Lowe's hardware store the other day and I saw on the cash register computers the kicker menu. The actual store program is a text interface, but I saw KDE3!!! It was awesome (lol-- this is super amazing to me). I didn't know which distro it was because it was KDE 3 with a Lowe's background to it.


Great to see Linux getting into businesses.
This is why I always laugh when people whine that ncurses installers are too difficult for the "average user". Almost all big-box retail stores use programs with a text interface on their checkouts.

[damis648]

This is good for them! And good for linux!

[madjr]

Lowes has used Linux for years. They use their own "distro" called Lowes' Linux. If you watch one boot up you'll see an ASCII image of a penguin inside the Lowes logo.

When I worked there, the only computers I've ever had trouble with were the paint machine computers. They'd error out and the only way to fix it was a reboot. They ran WindowsXP.

lol

[sydbat]

More on topic, Home Depot's self-checkout registers run Windows. I have had one crash on me halfway through a transaction. They take forever to bootup.I've had this happen at Safeway here in Calgary (where the Canadian head office is). They use some form of Windows that connects to a central DB. It was so bad one day that their ENTIRE cashier system (city-wide) went down in a network cascade failure. Not good for the people waiting in line. Funny though, this never made the news...

[Barrucadu]

This is why I always laugh when people whine that ncurses installers are too difficult for the "average user". Almost all big-box retail stores use programs with a text interface on their checkouts.

I know, I have seen text-based programs in use in many places - including KFC (just a random example that popped into my head). Up until last year where my mum worked (an office supplies place) they used an entirely text-based system that worked great. The management decided to upgrade the 'archaic' system to one with a pretty GUI and a few new features (which could have been added to the sxisting CLI program) that cost a fortune to develop.
For months afterwards, the coders were called in to fix problems with it, and it's still fairly unstable and error-prone.

[chris4585]

On a trip to Nashville, I was in a old country music store, I'm 80% sure I saw one of their computers running KDE and a terminal open with a text based interface. I thought it was neat.

[Yudraciell]

lol thats cool...the other day my manager (i work at sears) and they asked me cause im good with computer to "build the os" cause the higher ups wanted them to...im like idk how to build windows 2000 server ed...but they gave me a passcode and a hidden key rutine and it was indeed linux with a 200 coverup for people who have not seen the realworld...i dont know what version it was...i do know that it was kde 3.0 and really understandable for me...my manager asked me to tell her what that stuff ment and i told her about linux...after that (maybe a week later she asked me to get her a copy and how much would it cost her)

[TrailerTrash]

I stayed at a Days Inn motel on weekend and noticed their computers was running some kinda of older Linux using what looks to me a early KDE 2 or 3 desktop. I know Auto Zone uses Red Hat Linux in all of their stores. Chrysler uses Linux at their HQ. I use 100% Linux ( Mandriva 2008.1 GNOME) at my workplace. We also have CentOS on our servers. :)

[Methuselah]

Lowes has used Linux for years. They use their own "distro" called Lowes' Linux. If you watch one boot up you'll see an ASCII image of a penguin inside the Lowes logo.

When I worked there, the only computers I've ever had trouble with were the paint machine computers. They'd error out and the only way to fix it was a reboot. They ran WindowsXP.

It's like a blue screen parade:

http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=blue+screen+airport&btnG=Search+Images

http://www.bendawos.com/images/bsod-at-chaddy.jpg

Can't they turn it into a game or something...make it useful.
Come to think of it, the blue screen would make a pretty funny desktop wallpaper. :)

*launches gimp*

[FuturePilot]

Wow, I will have to check this out. There's one right down the street from me. :)

[antirem]

Do you think they kick any money back into it? Like to make what they use better?

[gnuvistawouldbecool]

Come to think of it, the blue screen would make a pretty funny desktop wallpaper. :)

If you happen to be using windows, you can have it as a screensaver, complete with a fake rebooting screen. Google "Sysinternals bluescreen", I think. No idea if it would work in Linux though.

[K.Mandla]

The actual store program is a text interface, but I saw KDE3!!!
What? No snapshot? :)

[mech7]

They use KDE in pearle (http://www.pearle.nl/) also...

[Valeranth]

I can confirm they use linux (I work there).. The machines arnt too bad either.. p4 2.0ghz.. but its net boot with no redunacy. The line to the main corp. broke today and the whole store nearly shut down for a hour..

The system they use is also full of holes (IE a cashier can be elevated to manager with ease) and bad programming (the POS computer run XORG but have the terminal full screened..

[zmjjmz]

I actually cannot say I've experienced any Linux PoS systems (with me knowing they're PoS systems of course), but I know Delta has it on some of their planes.
On the other hand, I know that because two of the systems crashed in flight.

[wolfen69]

It's like a blue screen parade:

http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=blue+screen+airport&btnG=Search+Images

http://www.bendawos.com/images/bsod-at-chaddy.jpg

Can't they turn it into a game or something...make it useful.
Come to think of it, the blue screen would make a pretty funny desktop wallpaper. :)

*launches gimp*

i have a BSOD wallpaper if anyone wants it. PM me and i'll email it to you.

[david_lynch]

I noticed the job application kiosk at the local lowes had a nice familiar feel to it, even though it was stripped down to mozilla with no options to run anything else.

I did a quick CTRL-ALT-F1 and saw the X windows startup messages on tty1, but there were no other ttys open. They had it pretty well locked down. I would've had to reboot it to see exactly what OS was running, but it was obviously linux or something like it - possibly freebsd, but definitely not a peecee OS with a C: drive etc...
:guitar:

[rossjman1]

I work at Jewel (Chicagoland grocery store) and all the registers use Unix, but the self checkout computers run Win 2k.