Thread

1. byte-sized-snac · 1791010457 · focus · HN ↗

   They mention QR code being a link and companies having to store data on their side.

   Surely the actual data will be stored in the QR code and available offline

   1. kiallmacinnes · 1791011541 · focus · HN ↗

      As I understand it, The key bits of data are in the QR code, they are just encoded as a URL - a highly structured URL that point of sale systems can decode without visiting the URL.

      Doing it this way means the QR code is directly usable by consumers to get to a product info / marketing page, and directly usable by the POS systems.

      Edit: I looked it up. An example URL:

      <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;example.com&#x2F;01&#x2F;09521207311511&#x2F;21&#x2F;1234ABDE1235" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;example.com&#x2F;01&#x2F;09521207311511&#x2F;21&#x2F;1234ABDE1235

      01 is a marker before the traditional barcode.

      21 is a marker before the serial number.

      There seems to be many other codes like 17 (expiry date) and 10 (batch number).

      1. alex_suzuki · 1791015923 · focus · HN ↗

         This is correct. The canonical reference is: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;ref.gs1.org&#x2F;standards&#x2F;digital-link&#x2F;uri-syntax&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;ref.gs1.org&#x2F;standards&#x2F;digital-link&#x2F;uri-syntax&#x2F;

         1. adastra22 · 1791019520 · focus · HN ↗

            I am irrationally annoyed that this isn&#x27;t <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;ref.gs1.org&#x2F;17&#x2F;382834828282&#x2F;21&#x2F;28312384021" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;ref.gs1.org&#x2F;17&#x2F;382834828282&#x2F;21&#x2F;28312384021

            1. fragmede · 1791022761 · focus · HN ↗

               404?
            2. williamtell · 1791026264 · focus · HN ↗

               I&#x27;m also a bit irrationally annoyed by the example. You seem like someone who could explain why a barcode URI isn&#x27;t defined as a proper URN?

               1. crote · 1791033642 · focus · HN ↗

                  Because the consumer has to be able to trivially scan it with their smartphone and get useful information out of it. In reality, that means it has to be a valid URL you can visit with a web browser, as forcing literally everyone to install a proprietary URN-handling app is a dealbreaker.

                  The whole point of it is that you can just say &quot;scan the barcode with your smartphone to find out if your product is part of this recall&quot;.

                  1. williamtell · 1791055327 · focus · HN ↗

                     URN that can be copied and put in any national recall website seems better to me. I don&#x27;t understand who I am supposed to trust to keep domains with the right content on them instead of porn sites. Seems very high faith for clown town.

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