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From: dave@cylixd.UUCP (Dave Kirby)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: UPC Scanners
Message-ID: <654@cylixd.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 3-Jan-86 11:29:09 EST
Article-I.D.: cylixd.654
Posted: Fri Jan  3 11:29:09 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 5-Jan-86 01:39:14 EST
Reply-To: dave@cylixd.UUCP (Dave Kirby)
Distribution: net
Organization: RCA Cylix Communications , Memphis, TN
Lines: 26

In article <952@terak.UUCP> doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) writes:
>I find that scanner-equipped stores are actually significantly *slower*
>than the old manual methods (and it appears that they use as many or
>even more cashiers). 

I have observed the same phenomenon in several stores here in Memphis.
It comes from the cashier not knowing how to use a scanner correctly.
It seems most clerks think that the scanning beam is stationary, so
they must whisk the product by in such a way as to make sure the beam
traverses the UPC code correctly. I don't know for sure exactly how
the scanners work, but from the pattern traced on the window I would
guess that the beam scans in several directions so as to be able to pick
up the code from any angle, PROVIDED THAT THE CRETIN PRESENTING THE
PRODUCT HOLDS THE DURN THING STILL or at worst moves it slowly across
the window.

Incompetent clerks on a scanner are worse in the long run than 
incompetent clerks on a regular keyboard, for two reasons. First,
scanner incompetence is less likely to be noticed; clerks can always
blame their mistakes on "the computer." Second, those using a keyboard
will usually eventually get better through practice; those who don't
know how to use a scanner will never understand how to use it, no
matter how many customers they have practised on.

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Dave Kirby    ( ...!ihnp4!akgub!cylixd!dave)