- Image via Wikipedia
Did you know that there are about more than 400 different types of barcode symbologies in use today? I never realised it was that much, but as you can image, only a few are in widespread use. A symbology is a way of converting the symbols (whether they are lines or patterns) that make up a code into particular letters or numbers. You may have noticed that a simple barcode on a product (usually UPC or Universal Product Code) consists of a fixed number of stripes and translate to 13 digits, while a 2D barcode (shown on the right) can actually represent a complete URL and can serve as a shortcut to a web site or page.
I was reading up about this on the Barcode Education page on the Wasp Barcode Technologies. They’re a company that specialise in the entire product set needed to create and scan barcodes, as well as the software technologies that make barcodes useful, including Inventory Control Software and Time and Attendance Software. They were looking for a sponsored post about their products and website, and I was pleasantly surprise on two counts. First of all, their website is actually quite readable and very informative. I also like the fact that they are entirely focused on one subject-matter. Sure, you can buy a barcode reader from any shop, but these guys seem to focus predominantly on this field. And if you have a tough nut to crack, it’s always better to get experts who have a body of experience they can call on to help you solve your problems.
So, if you’re looking for somewhere to buy barcode scanners or looking for the complete package and someone to help you implement it, you might want to check them out; they certainly seem to have all the bases covered. In the meantime, I’m heading back to that Education page, because I just realised how little I know about barcodes 😉
