[geeks] Passwords, etc

[Lionel Peterson]

On 12/11/06, John Francini <francini at mac.com> wrote:
>
> I'm sorry -- that's tantamount to tattooing a number or a barcode on
> you.  Worse, actually, since it can be read at a distance.


Why do you you think a tattoo or barcode *can't* be read at a distance? It
comes down to a question of optics and character recognition, nothing more.
An implantable device has a built-in obscurity factor (does he, or doesn't
he have an implant?), and pasive ID tags can only be read so far from the
"chip"/implant (on the order of inches, not feet or yards). To read an
RFID-type ID at anything resembling a great distance would require (I
imagine) a massive transmitter to "energize" the RFID tag enough to send a
signal strong enough to be picked up by a massively sensitive receiver at
any significant distance - oh, and I hope your massive transmitter doesn't
overload the front end of your sensetive receiver).

The unrealistic hype surroundig RFID is just amazing. I've been tempted in
the past to organize a challenge offering, say, $1,000 to anyone that can
successfully read a RFID tag a distance equivalent to the width of a
two-lane road. A half-prize could be awarded for being able to identify the
presence of an RFID tag accurately from the same distance. A double prize to
the team that can read the data off an RFID tag from across the two-lane
street using a self-contained/self-powered device (think batteries) that can
be hidden in a newspaper vending machine (18" square base, 36" tall).

Gawd, work with these wretched little devices for a while and you become
very cynical about these privacy claims.


> If it could be used by an office it could also be used by a
> government to collect information on your whereabouts at all times.


Yeah, thanks to the governments MASSIVE ARRAY of readers placed on every
street corner that sheeple are to dumb to avoid...


> Convenience is no reason to give up privacy


Agreed.

Lionel