[YLUG] Possible Project

[Peter Hawkins (Home)]

Hi Derrick,

It doesn't even need to be that sophisticated. It just needs to be a means of identifying whether the holder is entitled to a discounted price on items purchased at the bar. The location is a community centre and the need is to distinguish between prices for those who might use the bar on a fairly regular basis, and who would be 'members' of the scheme, from those who are using the bar on a one-off basis because they are on the premises using one of the function rooms or the main hall for a party, reception or similar event.

In many cases, the 'members' will be known to the bar staff and there will only be a need to check the card through the system when the membership renewal comes around to ensure that they have paid their membership fee and that has been recorded on the system. The cards don't need to hold any personal information, just something which enables the database to recognize who they are and be able to flash up a Yes or No on the screen to indicate whether or not their card is valid in the current membership year.

I would think a relatively low cost till could be set up with 2 buttons for each item, one at 'standard' price and one at the discounted price so the bar staff can simply press the appropriate button for members and non-members after swiping the card (if they didn't already know that the purchaser was entitled to the discount prices) but there would not be a need to link the card system to the till.

I guess I am looking to confirm that something like this is feasible at a cost which is somewhat lower than the price I have been quoted for a full EPOS system but, assuming it is, I would then be looking for someone to put the package together on a commercial basis.

Peter

-----Original Message-----
From: york-bounces at lists.lug.org.uk [mailto:york-bounces at lists.lug.org.uk] On Behalf Of Gaffer.
Sent: 18 November 2008 20:09
To: york at lists.lug.org.uk
Subject: Re: [YLUG] Possible Project

Hi Peter,

On Tuesday 18 November 2008 18:13, Peter Hawkins (Home) wrote:
> I wonder if anyone on this list would have the necessary skills to 
> design a swipe card reader system to facilitate a membership scheme.
>
>
>
> The system would need to be able to read a swipe car to confirm the 
> identity of a member who would be entitled to discount prices in a 
> bar. The idea would be that the barman would swipe the card and the 
> system would answer yes or no as to whether the card was valid. The 
> system would need to be able to cancel each individual membership at a 
> fixed point in the year by ceasing to recognise the card until 
> recognition was restored manually following payment of a membership 
> fee.
>
>
>
> It would also be good if the system could ‘write’ the necessary 
> information to the card in the first place to create a unique identity 
> for the member but I believe it is possible to buy stand-alone 
> machines which do this.
>
>
>
> If anyone would be interested in this project, I would be happy to 
> discuss details off list.
>
>
>
> Peter Hawkins

This sounds very much like one of IBM's point of sale systems !

I vaguely recall a cafeteria system I saw in a school once.  The pupil put money on the card and the cashier keyed in the value of the meal before swiping the card, thus deducting the cost from the value of the card.

It must have been attached to a database because I was given a card to use for my meals.  Only I never had to put any money onto the card.  
They never asked for it back either.

--
Best Regards:
             Derrick.

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