I suppose it could be because they can get barcode readers in places they can't get a keyboard. Also, I've seen keyboards that are used for Cantonese characters--pretty much the same number of keys as a standard U.S. Keyboard, but each key has 4 or more functions according to which control key you press. Here on the home front, there's a committee meeting to determine acceptable values of a single character "Yes/No" flag. Not the conditions in which it'll be set, mind you, But whether "Y" = "YES" and "N" = "NO" on the data file. It's "Y/N" on the input screen--and will be "Y/N" when the data's entered on the other side of the transaction. I suppose a case COULD be made for "1/0" but "Puh-leeze!". I've been told to halt coding until the committee decides. I suppose next week they'll be meeting to determine if the digit "1" = a numeric ONE, "2" = two, etc etc. Another place I worked at years ago had a "SEX" flag for it's customers bio file--it had 7 acceptable values BEYOND "M" or "F"--including the fabled "Y" and "N" which stood for "Youth" and "Not-reported" not "Yes/No". I don't remember the other values. GEESH! It's no wonder the rest of the world is kicking our @([log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Johnson, Tracy [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 12:23 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [HP3000-L] Barcode Abuse Importance: Low Here is a good one that is going on today. Our plant in China wants to implement bar coding for some data entry documents. So they turn on MANMAN's Barscan module. They print out a bar code sheet containing bar codes with single digits, and some zeroes: 7 8 9 4 5 6 1 2 3 0 00 000 ^CR E -------------------- Presuming they also have keyboards and not hand held only devices, can anyone tell me what is philosophically wrong with this picture? BT Tracy Johnson MSI Schaevitz Sensors * To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, * * etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html * * To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, * * etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *