More RadioShack Facts
by c3llph (c3llph@hotmail.com)
In the summer and autumn of 2000, RadioShacks across the country got a new fixture, the Microsoft Internet Center.
At the heart of these is of course a Compaq Presario 5000 series. Most are a P3 600 MHz with 128 MB of RAM and no anti-virus software (yes, Backdoor.G/Back Orifice work well with these).
The computer is linked by Cat 5 to a receiver/decoder box in the back.
A (((Gilat))) Skystar Advantage Very-Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) IDU is what this store is equipped with. The Skystar Advantage is connected by coax to a commercial size two-way dish in the roof.
Those in cities are equipped with, in all likelihood, DSL. I assume this because in the kiosk it gives the choice to learn about high-speed access by either DSL or satellite.
The stores in rural America are equipped with what was Gilat-To-Home (www.gilat.com). After being called Gilat-To-Home, it was renamed to StarBand.
Now RadioShack or Microsoft has dropped them for service because they were slowing the show. Other companies have looked at Gilat including EchoStar, Russia's Yamal, PMSI, ISKRA, etc.
RadioShack has now switched to Hughes, the current owner of our favorite free satellite TV provider.
Only the server side changed, none of the customer equipment. Gilat had prior to the switch put out version two of their receiver box, a free upgrade to existing customers. This original setup required you to purchase one of two "specially configured Compaq computers," priced at $999 or $1299 in addition to the actual satellite equipment and overpriced installation.
Since then, about May or June 2001, both those computers have been discontinued and are no longer available.
From other dealers I have talked to, the lower cost machine wasn't up to par to run the system from the beginning. Originally set for a January or February 2001 release was the USB-only version that could run with an existing computer to hook up to the satellite system. These USB add-on boxes ended up working with only about one out of every ten computers. So they are/have been "finishing" testing for USB-only add on boxes. Since these are always connected, they have a constant assigned IP.
In some franchise stores for sure, maybe in corporate ones also depending on the intellect of the managers and their location (i.e., broadband options), owners/managers have tied into the 2-way satellite to access the Internet for their store's Internet connection. They do this either by use of a separate computer set up as a proxy server or with the supplied Compaq computer itself, depending on how safe they want their store's POS and Compaq display computers to be.
In addition, the Compaq computers themselves are stripped of most functionality. All f-keys are disabled, you can open My Computer with only the CD-ROM drive. Ctrl+Alt+Del is active but there is an easier way. When clicking on Start, then Documents, if you click on My Documents you get into the folder. Way too easy.
From there you can navigate as usual, except right-clicking. Most of those options are available on the File button anyway. You have almost all rights including opening a CMD.EXE prompt and access to REGEDIT.
Name Database
All stores (corporate and franchise) keep local in-store records only. Once a month the entire database is uploaded to RadioShack's corporate office. The old addresses are included in this for the purpose of recent address/phone number changes, etc. Then the RadioShack corporate office crosses this with their previous files to complete the database update. Then we all get a flyer in the mail once a month. The fliers come at no cost to your local franchise stores. That is why we are always asking for your info. It's free advertising.
Also, a recent update to the RadioShack POS, found at www.radioshackpos.com, ALLZIP.EXE, a self-extracting WinZip file, has let us add all the ZIP Codes in the U.S. or per state if we so wish. Most POS updates have both full install (server) and file only (client). ALLZIP.EXE is installed on the server only, not any of the client computers.
This creates two files in the C:\RSPOSICS\RSFILES directory, the same directory that holds all inventory, customer name, and most other database files. The files created are RSALLZIP.EXE and PZIPCODE.BMS.
When you run the .EXE, you get your choice of which states you want to add - one or all. You choose which ones, hit O.K., then just enter the ZIP Code and get the city name. You now don't have to ask the customer how to spell Kalamazoo, or wherever they are from. Something interesting happens after the initial installation and running of RSALLZIP.EXE.
When run again it wants to connect up to the RadioShack corporate server and look for new updates. When it does, it gives a basic store info screen that happens to have the server password listed in plaintext.
I hope I have shed a little light on RadioShack doings. Also, I hope all of this info is correct. It may differ between store types and states.