Message-ID: <381791DE.52CF7533@iedu.org> From: Morris Dovey Organization: http://www.iedu.org/mrd X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.61 [en] (X11; U; Linux 2.0.36 i686) X-Accept-Language: en, fr, pt, ru, es MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Real-world Linux apps References: <7tjlf6$f2f@netaxs.com> <939834193.755394@pizza.crosslink.net> <38075CAD.49942CA5@iedu.org> <7v7hdf$6ff$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 56 Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1999 18:59:26 -0500 NNTP-Posting-Host: 207.108.37.10 X-Trace: news.uswest.net 941068888 207.108.37.10 (Wed, 27 Oct 1999 19:01:28 CDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1999 19:01:28 CDT Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newshub.northeast.verio.net!nuq-peer.news.verio.net!news.verio.net!news-out.uswest.net!news.uswest.net!not-for-mail Rob Nicholson wrote: > > > Ouch! I develop apps to run under Linux. In the case of my most recent > > project the primary selection factors were reliability and price. A > > What was the application if you don't mind me asking? Rob... Project involved three systems: (1) (Replaced and expanded on a system running on an IBM Series/1 for about 15 years) Host check verification system to provide dial-in access from point of sale terminals, internet update of remote in-store check verification database, and retrieval of transaction data. Handles verification and check guarantee clients, provides home office data entry services, and handles client billing. (2) (New product) Remote in-store verification system to provide same functions as host dial-in to locally attached POS devices. Internet retrieval of data base updates and transmission of transaction history data. No reports. (3) (New product) Remote system to permit client to track bad check collection efforts and permit client to accept payments (for any of the member businesses) so that customers can make good on any bad check at any client business. Lots of reports. Internet communication with the host system so that accurate accounting could be done (since payment could be made at store B for a bad check written to store A.) (1) and (2) were interesting in that they performed traditional-type verification; but also because they tracked velocity of cash through accounts and could alert merchants to atypical account behavior. Update frequency was such that check scams could be easily spotted and stopped because by the time the scammer went from the first store to the second, the second store would already have the transaction history from the first store and could get a velocity warning. I assume that you're at least superficially acquainted with POS check verification. Check guarantee is verification plus the guarantee that the verification service will guarantee face value of the check if it subsequently bounces, which provides complete protection for the merchant by shifting all risk to the guarantee organization. A fun project. Written in C with help from Tcl/Tk/Tix for the GUI elements and major assistance from GhostScript for printing reports and receipts (on plain paper with inexpensive printers) that looked like photo-masters. Started out with RH 4.2 and finished up with RH 5.2 - It's worth noting that throughout the entire two and a half year development process, Linux crashed a grand total of /zero/ times (although I generated plenty of core files while debugging 8-) Morris Dovey West Des Moines, Iowa USA