New ID card oddity.

[Sapper168]

I just got my new ID Card and something struck me as odd. Where ther used to be a bar code in the lower right corner of the front, there was now what looked like part of a QR code.  Anyone else have this on theirs?

[a2capt]

3D barcode? Hopefully it's just an anomaly and not more NHQ NIH syndrome creep.

[NIN]

3D barcode? Hopefully it's just an anomaly and not more NHQ NIH syndrome creep.

2D barcode, not 3D.   (1D = Normal barcode, like a Code39, 2D = "square" that reads left-right and up-down. 3D would include some sort of color depth to bring another "dimension")

Meaning anybody using a 1D barcode scanner to read CAP IDs is now out of luck.

[Brad]

It's a QR code of likely your CAPID. I'll scan mine later. Yes QR codes can be that small and still usable, they have a scaling formula.

[dwb]

It is indeed a QR code of your CAPID. I just scanned mine.

[LSThiker]

Meaning anybody using a 1D barcode scanner to read CAP IDs is now out of luck.

Unless it is NHQ idea to start using smartphone technology, which of course you can download a QR scanner for free.

[a2capt]

QR.. great. WTG NHQ. Take something that pretty much any cheap, available piece of hardware, and phone/camera could read and turn it into something that now requires upgraded hardware if you want to use something besides an app to read, with a phone.

So much for all that simple scan the barcode to sign in.

I bet it's still the same cheap piece of junk card that the corners peel up on within a couple weeks of receiving it.

[Mustang]

It's a data matrix barcode.

[cm42]

Yeah, super annoying change. Now the donated 1D scanner that plugged in to USB and worked very easily has become a smartphone, wifi, and VNC server to work for rapid sign-in. Oh, except scanning IDs with your smartphone means focusing, and it now takes longer. Thanks NHQ!

[a2capt]

But it's seriously tactikewl, after all- QR cod3zZz~1!1!! are everywhere!

Lets get in on the act too!

Sigh..

[JeffDG]

This was recently noticed on the CAP-DC mailing list...

A fair number of wings have built processes off of barcode scanning ID cards...and the QR Code contains exactly the same information as the old 1D code did.

An inquiry has been made to NHQ about "Why?"  Maybe someone thought QR codes were "cool", and in making an unannounced change, made life harder for those of us out in the field.

[JeffDG]

Meaning anybody using a 1D barcode scanner to read CAP IDs is now out of luck.

Unless it is NHQ idea to start using smartphone technology, which of course you can download a QR scanner for free.

And that same free QR scanner will read old fashioned barcodes too!

So, it appears they just broke something without bothering to tell anyone.

[NIN]

This was recently noticed on the CAP-DC mailing list...

A fair number of wings have built processes off of barcode scanning ID cards...and the QR Code contains exactly the same information as the old 1D code did.

An inquiry has been made to NHQ about "Why?"  Maybe someone thought QR codes were "cool", and in making an unannounced change, made life harder for those of us out in the field.

My boss jumped on the QR code bandwagon last year. Put a QR code on the back of our business cards with all our contact (ie. vcf-style info) in it.

He had a sales guy from the printing company convince him to spend money on stuff we didn't need for some snake oil.

Haven't heard from a single person who has used the QR code on the back of our cards. At all. Period.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Meaning anybody using a 1D barcode scanner to read CAP IDs is now out of luck.

Unless it is NHQ idea to start using smartphone technology, which of course you can download a QR scanner for free.

And that same free QR scanner will read old fashioned barcodes too!

So, it appears they just broke something without bothering to tell anyone.

Word was we planned on integrating barcode scanners into encampment check in procedures. Barcode scanners can be had for 20-40 bucks with a USB plug and play function and virtual keyboard input. Something with QR codes? Good luck.

[JeffDG]

Yeah, super annoying change. Now the donated 1D scanner that plugged in to USB and worked very easily has become a smartphone, wifi, and VNC server to work for rapid sign-in. Oh, except scanning IDs with your smartphone means focusing, and it now takes longer. Thanks NHQ!

Start voicing concerns with this through your respective Chains-of-Command.

I know this has gone to NHQ/DOK for sure already.  But I'll bet there are ES folks that would like to see this reversed (although for ES, we still have the CAPF 101 with a traditional barcode)...and others.  If a groundswell of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot comes up, perhaps whoever thought "Hey, QR codes are cool..." might reconsider and we'll just have a small number of outliers this year.

[JeffDG]

Meaning anybody using a 1D barcode scanner to read CAP IDs is now out of luck.

Unless it is NHQ idea to start using smartphone technology, which of course you can download a QR scanner for free.

And that same free QR scanner will read old fashioned barcodes too!

So, it appears they just broke something without bothering to tell anyone.

Word was we planned on integrating barcode scanners into encampment check in procedures. Barcode scanners can be had for 20-40 bucks with a USB plug and play function and virtual keyboard input. Something with QR codes? Good luck.

2D barcode readers like the traditional $30 ones (just bought a couple) are about $150-$200...and don't work as simple keyboard wedges really well (QR encodes field names and a bunch of other stuff)

[Майор Хаткевич]

Meaning anybody using a 1D barcode scanner to read CAP IDs is now out of luck.

Unless it is NHQ idea to start using smartphone technology, which of course you can download a QR scanner for free.

And that same free QR scanner will read old fashioned barcodes too!

So, it appears they just broke something without bothering to tell anyone.

Word was we planned on integrating barcode scanners into encampment check in procedures. Barcode scanners can be had for 20-40 bucks with a USB plug and play function and virtual keyboard input. Something with QR codes? Good luck.

2D barcode readers like the traditional $30 ones (just bought a couple) are about $150-$200...and don't work as simple keyboard wedges really well (QR encodes field names and a bunch of other stuff)

And if we're talking 5-10 units, that cost is too much, whereas the "old", "uncool", cereal box code scanners work fine and are cheap.

[a2capt]

Start voicing concerns with this through your respective Chains-of-Command.

This is a great example of "through the chain" is a crock of ..

Because it takes too long, and there's too many people in the path that usually just say "doesn't effect me" and flick it off, ignore it, etc.

Meanwhile that they can just change the card on a whim.. because someone things "it's cool".. I'm not even sure what to think of that.

Put it back. Leave it alone, and get back the old ID card creator that used real plastic cards and not this die cut lamination mess that peels just from looking at it.

[Eclipse]

My boss jumped on the QR code bandwagon last year. Put a QR code on the back of our business cards with all our contact (ie. vcf-style info) in it.

He had a sales guy from the printing company convince him to spend money on stuff we didn't need for some snake oil.

Haven't heard from a single person who has used the QR code on the back of our cards. At all. Period.

I had a client last year with a huge, custom-themed, barcode printed on one wall of the booth. Looked really cool.
I scanned it, and it took me to an IOS-only app.  "Meh, not for me, but good idea nonetheless..."

Then about 3-hours into day one, the client realized that iOS devices don't scan barcodes by default,
they need a barcode app installed first.  So much for that idea - this particular customer demographic are
very mechanical-savvy, but not necessarily tech savvy (if you can see the difference), so it turned out to be a wash -
walking them through first installing a barcode scanner and then the app itself, defeated the idea of a "Scan and go".

If the QR contains anything other then the CAPID, then it might be a PERSEC risk, depending on what's in it.
If it's just the CAPID, then it's another unnecessary affectation which will cause issues at activities that have
mature systems using the barcode.  As mentioned, any barcode reader from the last 20 years, including the
plentiful and cheap "CueCat" could read the old-style.  Excel will accept the scan directly into a field - it's that
simple to use.

One could really ask why there's a barcode on the IDs at all, since there is no official national system that has ever used
one anyway, and nowhere else we present the cards as IDs cares what our CAP ids. 

In most cases, QR codes are just for convenience sake in linking to a website and despite seeing them in many places,
haven't really caught on.

Can the OP scan it and tell us what's in it?

[JeffDG]

Can the OP scan it and tell us what's in it?

CAPID...that's it, no additional information.