Posted by
Carl Tollander-2 on
URL: http://friam.383.s1.nabble.com/Physics-at-Albertsons-tp518898p518901.html
Physics at AlbertsonsYes, it works, up to a point. At least it makes the
machine happy. I'm not clear but that it
may degrade the stripe further, though. I've heard an explanation that the
reader actually makes
contact with the stripe and that there is a feedback mechanism between the
residual static
charge on the reader and the card that obscures the weakly encoded data on
the card. The
plastic bag isolates the reader from direct contact with the card, thus
reducing the interference
so the card can be read. Don't know if that's apocryphal or what.
The real question is how the checkers decided on the behavior.
Carl
-----Original Message-----
From:
[hidden email] [mailto:
[hidden email]]On
Behalf Of joseph spinden
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 1:13 PM
To: 'The Friday Morning Complexity Coffee Group'
Subject: RE: [FRIAM] Physics at Albertsons
(1) I can't speak to the physics of Albertson's, but I have seen cashiers
use a similar technique at Whole Foods, so apparently this is not a strictly
local phenomenon.
(2) It has almost never worked with my cards, but apparently it is an
article of faith that it does work.
Joe
-----Original Message-----
From:
[hidden email] [mailto:
[hidden email]] On
Behalf Of Robert Holmes
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 4:20 AM
To: FRIAM
Subject: [FRIAM] Physics at Albertsons
So I was in the queue for the checkout, and the woman in front of me is
having problems with her Visa card - she is swiping it through the machine
but nothing registers. "Do you have a plastic bag?" she says and, on being
given one, she puts her Visa card in it, holds the plastic taut, swipes the
card (still in the plastic bag) through the machine and bingo, it's worked.
Apparently this is a technique that all the checkout staff at Albertsons are
familiar with.
(1) Does this technique *really* work, or was it just a fluke?
(2) If it does work, why?
Robert
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