100 years later and with supercomputers in our pockets, we can't do any better - because these devices are so locked down.
I mean, can’t we? If a place wants to they can just add a wifi network with a captive portal which leads patrons to a table-to-table chat system. Or a QR code per table with a flashing light next to it so you know your table have a message even if you haven’t got your phone out. I bet it will be cheaper and easier to maintain than installing pneumatic tubes to every table too.
Not really possible without Web Bluetooth, which Apple won't do.
Berlin had one of the largest pneumatic mail systems in the world. A (highly recommended) Berlin Unterwelten tour covers it. There is still a big, beautiful Rohrpost building in Mitte close to the big Synagogue. The Real store at Leopoldplatz has a pneumatic tube system that reaches every cash register. You can see the tubes go up and along the ceiling. I believe that it's one of the failed Walmart stores from their…
> The Real store at Leopoldplatz has a pneumatic tube system that reaches every cash register. Isn’t this pretty common in hypermarkets? I’ve seen systems of pneumatic tubes running from the registers at Auchans or Carrefours in multiple European countries. I imagine that people don’t notice them just because pneumatic tubes are now so little a part of everyday life that one doesn’t even expect to see them.
I haven’t been paying much attention recently, and we tend to use bugger all cash here these days, and there are still companies servicing vacuum cash transfer systems here in Australia.
I recall seeing such systems in supermarkets and bottle shops, fairly certain the closest supermarket still has a system.
Luxembergism was the adequate reaction, the Nazi Party, even at that time, was just as corrupt and depraved.
The cutthroats who ran the revolution won't cede power to anyone, they didn't risk their lives for that. Every revolution is followed by the spider can where the most ruthless kill the rest.
Hrm. I think you're right, but my mind has now gone to Ukraine.
> The Real store at Leopoldplatz has a pneumatic tube system that reaches every cash register. Isn’t this pretty common in hypermarkets? I’ve seen systems of pneumatic tubes running from the registers at Auchans or Carrefours in multiple European countries. I imagine that people don’t notice them just because pneumatic tubes are now so little a part of everyday life that one doesn’t even expect to see them.
I've seen them in DIY stores in the Netherlands as well, mainly used to send larger cash sums to the safe... safely. Most stores will have a lockbox at cash registers where any cash amount over a certain amount is stored in. I'm not sure if these lockboxes have a plain lock or a time lock and are only moved to the safe after closing time though. But most stores also discourage the use of cash, because it puts them at…
"Paying with cash is still attractive though, because cash is tax free. That is, no paper trail if you pay for a job by cash and the person doing it doesn't log anything. Very popular with tradespeople."
(Mainly usa context) Most of what people commonly call "us supermarkets" are also "hypermarkets". But basically it's combining not only department stores but also with grocery stores. For example Target used to not include groceries until recently. For Walmart it's the difference between their 'regular' Walmart and the Walmart Supercenters. (Target also has their SuperTarget variant) Most of Fred Meyer's are 'hyperma…
As a Pole, I don't think I've heard the term "hypermarket" in like 10 years. There was a boom for all that exaggerated Western-style consumerism, but this kinda died down as medium-sized discount stores took over the majority of the market. Family trips to a shopping center might be a thing of the past - but also I'm not a kid anymore.
> As a Pole, I don't think I've heard the term "hypermarket" in like 10 years.
Carrefour Poland and Auchan Poland commonly use the term in to describe their own huge shops, like the one in Warsaw’s Arkadia shopping mall. Just do a Google search for the phrase “w naszym hipermarkecie”.
As a Pole, I don't think I've heard the term "hypermarket" in like 10 years. There was a boom for all that exaggerated Western-style consumerism, but this kinda died down as medium-sized discount stores took over the majority of the market. Family trips to a shopping center might be a thing of the past - but also I'm not a kid anymore.
Depends a bit on where you are. In France it's definitely a thing if you live outside of the major cities. In the Netherlands, active government intervention stopped these car-only hypermarkets ("weidemarkten"). Gotta say though, Poland has both, but indeed has a full range from small Zabkas to Auchans at the edge of town (probably not a coincidence it's French brands operating the hypermarkets).
Polish hypermarkets, at least in my experience, were never car-only. They were always within the city enough that one could easily use public transportation to shop there. What is car-only in Poland are wholesaler shops like Makro, which are often located well outside cities, but those are not meant for ordinary consumers.
If the top-level comment was edited after yours, disregard, but if not... did you put in any effort before you come in with such entitled incredulity? I spent like 30 seconds and it was understood without knowing anything about Chaos etc, it's very on topic with TFA, can the bar be any lower? How are you able to read say any technical documentation?
I read it as good-humoured incredulity, something like: "This comment is so intriguingly bizarre, I don't where to begin making sense of it – can anyone explain?" Sounds like you read it as something like: "I am angry that I don't understand this comment and I demand others stop what they are doing and explain it to me immediately." Either of us could be right, but it doesn't matter, and I'm happier!
You're right, yes for some reason I imagined the second tone...
I mean, can’t we? If a place wants to they can just add a wifi network with a captive portal which leads patrons to a table-to-table chat system. Or a QR code per table with a flashing light next to it so you know your table have a message even if you haven’t got your phone out. I bet it will be cheaper and easier to maintain than installing pneumatic tubes to every table too.
>captive portal which leads patrons to a table-to-table chat system The unreliability of captive portals across devices aside, they'll make you download some app you'll never use again, or they'll take your email and spam you later.
That is not a “we can’t do it” problem. That is a “they don’t want to do it” problem.
If you want it and you think it is cool you can have prototypes in a day max. Making it usable enough so even drunk people won’t need help using it will take longer, but it is certainly more manageable than the vacuum tubes as a hobby project.
I mean, can’t we? If a place wants to they can just add a wifi network with a captive portal which leads patrons to a table-to-table chat system. Or a QR code per table with a flashing light next to it so you know your table have a message even if you haven’t got your phone out. I bet it will be cheaper and easier to maintain than installing pneumatic tubes to every table too.
Not really possible without Web Bluetooth, which Apple won't do. https://caniuse.com/web-bluetooth
I read it as good-humoured incredulity, something like: "This comment is so intriguingly bizarre, I don't where to begin making sense of it – can anyone explain?" Sounds like you read it as something like: "I am angry that I don't understand this comment and I demand others stop what they are doing and explain it to me immediately." Either of us could be right, but it doesn't matter, and I'm happier!
You're right, yes for some reason I imagined the second tone...
No worries. I was going for the first one. Such an outlandish series of sentences describing some kind of hacker conference wonderland. I wanted more explanation and to express my wonderment.