

An anecdote about Graceful Degradation. - RiderOfGiraffes
http://www.solipsys.co.uk/new/GracefulDegradation.html?HN

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pbhj
Hmm, I disagree with the idea of slowing the tills when they get past 80%.
That will reduce the possible throughput.

If the till stops then staff will use a backup method - pencil and paper and a
cash drawer (same as for when communication lines are cut completely). If the
tills slow then the staff will continue but be waiting for the till to
respond. Less transactions can be completed under your fix.

Of course you then need staff to stay on and "complete" the transactions at
the end of the day, but that's probably going to be largely free to a large
employer (eg if it's 15 mins per person then the company can squeeze that out
without paying extra hours).

Pencil and paper backup may not be pretty but if it gives a better overall
transaction throughput (which I think it would) then it would be the better
solution.

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RiderOfGiraffes
Without the till you can't make change, process credit or store cards, or read
bar codes. Making the sales "by hand" was not really an option. Obviously if
you can't process things fast enough then to get the same work done you need
more time, but the staff are unlikely to agree to stay behind in a store
that's open to 22:00. Slowing down the sales to match the processing
capability seemed the only option. The point then is to make the degradation
smooth and graceful, not dramatic and catastrophic.

