How a QR code works
> Barcodes were proving inadequate - they can only be read at certain angles and didn't store much data relative to their sizeIt's the scanner that dictates what angles a barcode can be read at.  A 2D barcode scanner (which you need to read QR codes AT ALL -- or even a smart  phone running Cognex's barcode scanner app) can read regular 1D barcodes from absolutely any orientation.You can reduce the size of 1D barcodes to increase data density:http://www.barcodebootcamp.com/labels/barcode-density.htmlIt's rarely done because easy decoding is usually the priority.Plus, you can make 1D barcodes extremely small vertically, as commonly seen on the edge of USPS envelopes:https://www.wsel.com/sites/default/files/IntelligentMailBarc......and that way store several lines of 1D codes holding much more information in the space of one QR code.2D codes are useful in some circumstances, but they're not better than 1D barcodes.