What if you could program a retail environment like you program a desktop application? Miniature computers, pervasive networking, and affordable tablet interfaces make programmed retail environments seem inevitable. Instead of using the familiar mice and monitor for system interaction, a programmed retail operation like my brick-and-mortar bookstore, Lorem Ipsum in Cambridge, Massachusetts, connects cameras, RFID readers, monitors, speakers, and motion detectors to software designed to maximize customer happiness and store profit.