4 ms·

You may have an alphanumeric postal code but as far as I'm aware there are no alphanumeric ZIP codes.

NVI 3y ago
United Kingdom and Canada, for example, have alphanumeric ZIP codes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_code#Alphanumeric_postal_codes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_code#Alphanumeric_posta...
- scintill76 3y ago
  I think the point is that those are "postal codes", not "ZIP codes."
  - Filligree 3y ago
    Mine's an 'eircode', but there's no eircode field on Amazon deliveries, and we're told to use it as a zip code. Naming aside, companies that don't let me use "D02 R9D3" [sic] as a 'zip code', and mandate zip codes and/or lack a freeform field to put it in, can't deliver to me.
    - couchand 3y ago
      I'm of the mind that you can't just casually cast naming or precision aside when talking about data collection. If I'm askimg for a ZIP code I probably already know I can't deliver to you. If I thought I could deliver to you I'd collect the data necessary to do so, though not by asking you to pretend that the meaningful differences are not meaningful. Others operate differently, Amazon makes a bunch more revenue than me, YMMV.
    - klyrs 3y ago
      Canadians have long dealt with this: credit card companies have a fun hack where your postal code has 3 numbers and 3 letters; drop the letters and add 2 zeros. So v4r 2x3 becomes 42300. Since this is used as one component in identity verification, the lossy correspondence is apparently considered good enough.
fzeindl 3y ago
Falsehoods programmers believe about addresses: https://www.mjt.me.uk/posts/falsehoods-programmers-believe-about-addresses/ https://www.mjt.me.uk/posts/falsehoods-programmers-believe-a...
- couchand 3y ago
  For a document that purports to provide clarity they're sure playing fast and loose with terminology. The first one on the list should be "all postal codes are ZIP codes" because that's false but but evidently programmers believe it.

NVI 3y ago

United Kingdom and Canada, for example, have alphanumeric ZIP codes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_code#Alphanumeric_postal_codes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_code#Alphanumeric_posta...

scintill76 3y ago
I think the point is that those are "postal codes", not "ZIP codes."
- Filligree 3y ago
  Mine's an 'eircode', but there's no eircode field on Amazon deliveries, and we're told to use it as a zip code. Naming aside, companies that don't let me use "D02 R9D3" [sic] as a 'zip code', and mandate zip codes and/or lack a freeform field to put it in, can't deliver to me.
  - couchand 3y ago
    I'm of the mind that you can't just casually cast naming or precision aside when talking about data collection. If I'm askimg for a ZIP code I probably already know I can't deliver to you. If I thought I could deliver to you I'd collect the data necessary to do so, though not by asking you to pretend that the meaningful differences are not meaningful. Others operate differently, Amazon makes a bunch more revenue than me, YMMV.
  - klyrs 3y ago
    Canadians have long dealt with this: credit card companies have a fun hack where your postal code has 3 numbers and 3 letters; drop the letters and add 2 zeros. So v4r 2x3 becomes 42300. Since this is used as one component in identity verification, the lossy correspondence is apparently considered good enough.

fzeindl 3y ago

Falsehoods programmers believe about addresses: https://www.mjt.me.uk/posts/falsehoods-programmers-believe-about-addresses/ https://www.mjt.me.uk/posts/falsehoods-programmers-believe-a...

couchand 3y ago
For a document that purports to provide clarity they're sure playing fast and loose with terminology. The first one on the list should be "all postal codes are ZIP codes" because that's false but but evidently programmers believe it.