Re: They're all fscking lusers

In article <pan.2005.08.22.21.58.27.77993@%HASH%.usenet.us.com>,
Scott Packard <scottp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>other hand some things I see encourage people to steal, such as a
>self-checkout system at Wall-Mart. It was very slow, and required every
>item to be placed in a plastic bag sitting above a steel plate after
>it was scanned, presumably to weigh it and make sure the weight
>matches the scan code.

When I heard about these things I couldn't believe that someone would
waste their time designing something so pointlessly pointless. How is it
any quicker or easier for the customer than going through a normal
human checkout?

Our local shop in South UK used to be called Safeway. They had a really
nice self-scan system with a little laser gun where you scanned in
everything as you went around and just turned in the gun at the
checkout. It was great since you could take proper plastic tubs round in
the trolleys, and generally dump them straight in your car without the
unload/reload cycle. The feature that kept you honest was that one time
in 20-30 the system would demand a rescan. But you never knew when it
would be until just before it happened.

Unfortunately, now the managlement has changed and now it is some kind
of Northern outpost[1]. We are now not to be trusted, self-scan is
right out and there are extras barriers between the door and the
vegetables in case someone does a hit-and-run vegetable mission. They
have also introduced trolleys where you have to stick a pound coin in. I
quietly demonstrate my opposition to this scheme by trying to fit an
entire week's shop in one basket.

Nick

[1] I swear I went in there a month ago and saw an entire 8 feet worth
of aisle containing only 2 litre plastic bottles of clear cider. I have
to presume that that sells well in places north of Yorkshire etc.
.