Biggest names in retail point-of-sale systems these days are NCR Corp, ICL, now that it owns Datachecker as well as the business it inherited from Singer Co, Nixdorf Computer AG, and IBM. But Fujitsu Ltd has marked retailers out as one of its chosen markets, both in the US and in Europe, where it is a serious contender in Spain – and builds some of ICL’s point-of-sale terminals under contract. Pursuing its ambitions in the US, Fujitsu Systems of America in San Diego has introduced Atrium9000, warming the cockles of IBM’s heart by billing the product as the first personal computer-based retail management system that harnesses the OS/2 operating system. Atrium9000 is a complete hardware-software point-of-sale system and offers transaction processing for up to 64 point-of-sale terminals, making full use of OS/2 multitasking. The Atrium9000 terminals and controllers are AT- compatible at both the hardware and software levels, and is a modular system enabling implementers to choose from a range of point-of-sale terminals and controllers and system and application software: specialised systems that can be built from the cash drawer up with options in both hardware and software. There are of five basic devices Atrium9000 devices – the Personal Computer Controller, the Controller Terminal – which also contains a complete notepaper-sized 80286-based personal computer, the Expanded Primary Terminal, the Primary Terminal and the Satellite Terminal. Video and communication boards, scanners, hard drives, memory and printers can be added as the retailers’ requirements evolve. The terminal and controller software is all written in the C language, and Fujitsu reckons that applications can be extensively parameterised without programming expertise, and for customising, there are standard personal computer development tools. Source code modules will also be available to enable maximum customising of application software. The Atrium9000 system is currently in beta test at two retailers, the Brass Buckle retail chain with headquarters in Kearney, Nebraska, and the Barneys New York City-based menswear chain. The Barneys beta test is being conducted in conjunction with STS Systems, a Fujitsu reseller from Quebec, Canada. The Atrium9000 family of products is available immediately in the US through Fujitsu direct sales channels and through value-added resellers – Fujitsu has a total of 13 resellers for the product line, and the Japanese company has established a Paramark third-party marketing programme of support and service plans designed to assist its resellers.
