Questions : Using SambaPOS in production

[DQ]

Hello,
   I am planning to use this in production environment in a month. I have few questions.

1. Which version should I use? V3 Alpha or 2.99c?  Response to my earlier question, some of the  good to have features are already available in V3. Is V3 alpha stable enough ? I mean stable enough for only POS functionality?   I am not planning to use inventory/reports etc initially.

2. Do we have data migration utility from 299c to V3 Alpha? I have created many actions/rules and product/menu information.  I am using SQL CE as a local file.

3.  I am planning to use MegTek's Dynamag MSR http://www.magtek.com/V2/products/secure-card-reader-authenticators/Dynamag.asp which is PCI compliant and provides windows dll/api to integrate with POS. Any experience with this?

4.  I am looking into two below setup options. Any suggestions/experience you can share would helpful.
 
   a) Virtual environment :  Run two Windows XP/7 virtual machines on quad core I7 with 16GB ram.  SQL server will run on Host but both POS terminal will run on guest machine. For virtualization either use VmWare or Virtualbox

  b. I have  two refurbished  low-end IBM SurePOS terminal with 1.2 Ghz processor and 256MB ram.  Again SQL Server will run on separate machine (Probably laptop/old desktop).

5. In above both setup scenarios, Can I connect receipt printer on desktop server and share between two POS terminals?


Thanks in advance.

[rvandam]

I cannot answer about the state of v3 development.

You don't need to hassle with virtual machines. You have two options:

1. use Windows professional with multiple user accounts. The clients connect to the server through Remote Desktop

2. install Sambapos on every client, and let those clients connect to the database server.

Option 2 is more stable, and faster. Option 1 is perfect for connecting with tablets.

If you use option 2 you can either print on a local printer, or you have to configure a shared printer.

[DQ]

Thanks rvandam.  I will use option 2 as suggested.

[emre]

You should use V2.99 until V3 beta released. If you want you can install both versions on same computer side by side for V3 testing and reporting bugs to us. We'll create a migration tool from V2 after V3 db schema becomes stable. I expect to release it after our first real life tests of V3 beta completes.

[DQ]

Thanks @emre 

I am testing V3 as well and have already reported issue 118. Will let you know other issues as I find.