5 ms·
Can't say how effective this campaign can be, but I'm glad QR codes are now officially included in the list of bullshit. Can't agree more.
by mojuba 11y ago
Can't say how effective this campaign can be, but I'm glad QR codes are now officially included in the list of bullshit. Can't agree more.
- reinhardt 11y agoAre QR codes still a thing? Or were they ever a thing? Dunno, my brain seems to filter them out automatically, I rarely notice them.
- eponeponepon 11y agoThis seems apt: http://picturesofpeoplescanningqrcodes.tumblr.com/ http://picturesofpeoplescanningqrcodes.tumblr.com/
- Canada 11y agoI just used one to board a plane. It worked well, that's no bullshit.
- mojuba 11y agoI think it was probably an unjustified replacement for a simple bar code in your case. I check in using bar codes usually :)
- Canada 11y agoI know you're joking, but if you were told to write a ticket system today, what would you choose? QR codes are an international standard, have plenty of good libraries to generate and process them, can store more information, have excellent error correction, and easily scan from odd angles. Other types of bar codes... not so much. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode#Types_of_barcodes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode#Types_of_barcodes
- jessaustin 11y agoI guess I haven't seen enough of them in the wild to get annoyed by them? The use case seems to be to refer someone who sees a poster or other printed work to a URL, and when I've seen QRs used for that it has seemed reasonable. Are you seeing them in some other, less reasonable context?
- mojuba 11y agoI haven't seen a QR code that wouldn't lead to a plain online ad for a long while. Their other, "sincere" uses have diminished most likely because there are always more reasonable alternatives, such as a short and memorable brand/trade name that can be easily found online if needed. QR codes are really just an awkward way of collecting "clicks" so to say, and they require too much effort for that (take out your phone, fire up an app, scan, check results, go to the web sites, see the ad - oh really?) At least in Dublin, Ireland you can still see them, e.g. on bus stops, sometimes on brochures here and there and as a rule the context suggests they should just lead to an ad and nothing else.
- tjohns 11y agoIt's probably worth distinguishing between QR Codes used for advertising, vs other uses. For example, I print QR codes on the back of my business cards containing a VCard record, to make it easier to import them into an address book if needed. Or at home, I have a QR code that automatically populates credentials for my WiFi network when guests come over. It's also the easiest way to add a TOTP code to Authy or Google Authenticator. I like to think these are reasonable uses.
- mojuba 11y agoShouldn't the uses you mentioned be covered by NFC and iBeacon in this day and age?
- TeMPOraL 11y agoGetting an NFC tag inside a business card requires special effort, while QR code is just different pixels for the printer. Even if you opt for NFC stickers, it still costs lots of money (if you want to do hundreds of cards) and effort (you have to stick and program them). iBeacon is bullshit. I sincerely hope it'll turn into something useful with time, but for now, it's just a toy for advertisers. Also, solutions add up. In our local Hackerspace, we often used a combination of QR code, plaintext credentials and an NFC sticker for things like Wi-Fi access and switching lights on/off wirelessly.
- noir_lord 11y agoI've seen precisely one use of QR codes that was a benefit and that's with WhatsApp's web app, you point your phone at the screen and it instantly syncs your profile to the web app, I thought that was clever.
- TeMPOraL 11y agoYup. AirDroid uses them this way to establish a LAN connection between your phone and your browser. Other interesting users: Foursquare links back before the company destroyed the product, Wi-Fi credentials, turning lights on and off with your phone.
- davidaa 11y agoEh, I don't mind them. They serve a purpose, even if they tend to be misused.