What is Windows Embedded for Point of Service (WEPOS) and how does it differ from Windows CE?
WEPOS is an operating system based on Windows XP Service Pack 2, optimized for retail applications. Like Windows XP, WEPOS has a large driver library with over 9,000 installed drivers. This commonality also allows WEPOS to utilize the enormous PC peripheral market. It permits POS devices to run plug-n-play, giving retailers the ability to easily integrate devices into their POS system. Although its footprint is larger than Windows CE, the WEPOS footprint is considerably smaller than Windows XP and operates well within the hardware requirements of most POS platforms running multiple applications. Windows CE is a configurable embedded operating system initially designed to operate small footprint devices, like PDA’s. After receiving broad acceptance in these products, Windows CE was rapidly adopted for use in many POS applications. However, the leap from PDA devices to POS devices created a number of issues for deployers including the enormous amount of programming necessary to write and
