I dropped by to see whether the commotion had died down. It did. The misunderstanding had been cleared.

We (information workers), sometimes fail to grab 'meaning' of 'message' in its 'right context'. We can build wrong models and twist systems around to fit our perspectives. This is a major danger (warning) that information workers ought to keep in mind all the times. We want to work with 'factual data', manipulate data (not facts) and create 'facts'.

Our perceptions of our world can turn our information systems into emotive 'arts'. But, that is not the main aim of information engineers.

Relax. That message is for the checkout operator. It warns about imminent cash-in-till reduction time. It is for the operator and a 'cashier' section. Not a message for the operator and customers. ;-)

English is a funny language. We buy things by taking our choices to a checkout desk. The operator checkouts our choices, take our money and put the money in the till. After some time, the till gets built up with cash and becomes a dangerous situation. So, the operator checkouts the cash in the till (and gets a receipt slip for the amount). Most big stores have this cash checkout procedure. Nothing is devilish about this at all. And many systems have been developed for 'older' checkout display monitors (of 40 characters width - look at the prints on purchase slips). So there is a limit in message design (remember the limit of real estate on monitor screen and the limit to what we 'human' can see and understand in a busy situation?)

;-) Don't worry. Be happy!