Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!linus!philabs!ttidca!hollombe
From: hollombe@ttidca.TTI.COM (The Polymath)
Newsgroups: comp.human-factors
Subject: Re: Good ATM interface (WAS Re: Yucky ATM interfaces (WAS Re: Touchscreens)
Message-ID: <27181@ttidca.TTI.COM>
Date: 25 Jun 91 21:24:29 GMT
References: <2073@manta.NOSC.MIL>
Organization: The Cat Factory
Lines: 21

In article <2073@manta.NOSC.MIL> norton@manta.NOSC.MIL (LT Scott A. Norton, USN) writes:
}
}After I inserted the card and entered the PIN, I was very pleased
}when the ATM showed "Welcome to the XYZ Cash Machine, A. Scott Norton"
}Becuase the machine said my name, I was immediatly assured that it
}was progressing along correctly on the transaction.
}
}In retrospect, I would guess the machine probably got the name from the
}cards stripe, but the heartening effect was real.

There's a technical problem with doing this.  Not all card issuers store
the card owner's name in the same format.  Some don't put it on the
mag-strip at all.  With a different card, you might have seen "Welcome to
the XYZ Cash Machine, Norton, A.  Scott", which is somewhat less friendly,
or even "...  Norton Scott", which is wrong.

-- 
The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe, M.A., CDP, aka: hollombe@ttidca.tti.com)
Head Robot Wrangler at Citicorp                   Turn the rascals out!
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.   (213) 450-9111, x2483     No incumbents in '92!
Santa Monica, CA  90405 {rutgers|pyramid|philabs|psivax}!ttidca!hollombe