A lecturer at Monash Uni last semester told me of the "Octopus" card used
very extensively in Hong Kong with _millions_ of transactions conducted per
day. Apparently people walk through turnstiles & wave their bag (with the
card inside) to pass through & be debited. It has a reducing cash value
(same as our phone cards), and also more permanent rechargable versions.
Some even key it to their apartment door (sounds dodgy...)
Here's the Bus company's description:
<http://www.citybus.com.hk/english/octopus.htm>
Here's a tourist account of using it:
http://intel.si.umich.edu/hardin/susan/transportation/octopus.html
"We used these cards for just about every form of transportation, except
taxis, and didn't have to worry about having the correct change for the
various fares. Each time we swiped the card across a reader, the fare was
deducted from the card. The readouts warned us when our cards were near $0
and when necessary, we added value to our cards at the Add Value machines
located in the train stations. These machines are like cash machines, only
you put in the cash, and that amount is added to the value of your card. "
>From http://www.newsbytes.com/news/00/158555.html
"Almost 85 percent of persons aged over 15 had used electronic business
services of one form or another - e.g. Hong Kong's Octopus multi-purpose
smart card, ATM, e-cash, phone banking, or online searching for financial
information, goods and services, and job vacancies. "
I'm not sure of the NSW proposal & how it compares to the Octopus card
system, but I reckon xx million Chinese punters may demonstrate a system's
credibility & security... I wish we'd looked at existing successes when
Jeff Kennett's government managed to choos a very flawed card system for
Melbourne's public transport...
Cheers
Jeff
Eric Scheid <eric.scheid@ironclad.net.au>@www.anu.edu.au on 13/08/2001
01:49:39 AM
Sent by: owner-link@www.anu.edu.au
To: "Link List" <link@www.anu.edu.au>
cc:
Fax to:
Subject: [LINK] A card that may change all our lives
Did we all read in the weekend papers about Carr's wonderful new
electronic payment card he's got plans for?
>A card that may change all our lives
>EXCLUSIVE By chief writer NATHAN VASS
>12aug01
>A REVOLUTIONARY commuter "smartcard" with the potential to create a
>cashless society in Sydney will be introduced by the State Government.
<http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,2566711%255
E701,00.html>
>This means one card will pay for bus, train and ferry trips, highway
>tolls, groceries, retail goods, online shopping, phone and utility bills,
>movie and concert tickets, traffic fines and professional services.
all sounding fine, except maybe the penultimate item listed... which
raises a red flag when I then read:
>"The smartcard will not need to be removed from a wallet or bag, it only
>needs to pass the validator, which will signal acceptance of the fare
and also
>They can be linked to a bank account so the card automatically "tops up"
>without the user ever having to go to a bank. The card could also become a
>driver's licence and Medicare card.
I wonder if the identification details will be automatically released and
handed over by the ticket scanners? I can't wait for the targeted
advertising in my mail box.
Panic starts to then set in when a few pages further into the paper I
find
>Revealed: Sydney's greediest speed cameras
<http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,2566643%255
E3163,00.html>
I imagine a dark future where a ticket inspector will walk up and down
the train, and by virtue of being in scanning range automatically issue
fines for not having a valid ticket. A quick stroll, without the
inconvenience of actually stopping and investigating, and the gummint
raises more revenue.
e.
______________________________________________________________________
eric@ironclad.net.au i r o n c l a d n e t w o r k s
information architect http://www.ironclad.net.au/
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