Not easily when issues of PCI get in there.

Things like the credit card reader (and magnetic ink reader for checks), different input device (sending the barcode scanner two two different systems), keyboard input (completely different screens and keyed entry) would have made those hardware problems also things that needed to be solved.

The old system was a DOS based one where a given set of Fkeys were used to switch between screens on a . Need to do hand entry of a SKU? That was F4 and then type the number. Need to do a search for the description of an item? That was F5. The keyboard was particular to that register setup and used an old school XT (5 pin DIN) plug. The new systems were much more modern linux boxes that used USB plugs. The mag strip reader was flashed to new screens (and the old ones were replaced).

For this situation, it wasn't something that we could send keyboard, scanner, and credit card events to another register.