kharealumnicaltechedu article nytimescom sent kharealumnicaltechedu lets see decimal digit 333 bits moving 36bit 46bit addressing system kind makes debate ipv6 spaces quite real well autoid center mits proposal physical markup language actual barcode size may yet decline point 2d codes may yet make individualitem level addressing seeing software systems fantastically brittle fifty years unfortunately surprising sure really know better yet angle brackets really key immortality interesting reinforcement voyager piece archived earlier today rk kharealumnicaltechedu bigger bar code inches retailers august 12 2002 kate murphy little two years retailers united states canada face deadline promises technological challenges akin year 2000 computer problem starting jan 1 2005 12digit bar codes retailers use identify everything cars candy bars go 13 digits additional number associated bars spaces enough make checkout scanners seize make computers crash perhaps disrupting entire supply chains many retailers yet focus problem require significant investments time capital retailers public companies tend live quarterly look ahead means going hit head scramble last minute avert disaster said thomas friedman president retail systems research services company newton mass publishes retail information technology newsletter leading retailers say begun address issue spokesman walmart stores worlds largest retailer said company embraced concept expanded bar code respond questions actual measures taken prepare computer databases logistical systems similarly spokesman target corporation said company intellectually ready change refused comment whether stores warehouses technologically ready richard galanti chief financial officer costco wholesale admitted truth given timeline everybodys still assessment phase trying figure difficulty similar one posed year 2000 computer problem computer software switched twodigit entries identifying years fourdigit entries jan 1 2000 millions lines code rewritten avoid widespread computer failures bar codes used packaging since 1974 first item pack chewing gum scanned supermarket ohio codes identify product distinguishing eightounce del monte creamed corn mediumsize pair hanes boxer shorts bar code scanned information stores database lets retailer assign price track sales inventory bar code linchpin upon everything retail depends mr friedman said reason expanding 12digit bar code known universal product code twofold first shortage upc numbers theres certain amount 12digit numbers going run said john terwilliger vice president global markets universal code council nonprofit organization based lawrenceville nj assigns codes united states canada second 13digit bar codes used almost everywhere else world councils european counterpart ean international based brussels assigns numbers called european article numbers companies 99 nations right mr terwilliger said foreign importers get 12digit upc business havent happy foreign manufacturers currently pass consumers cost getting additional bar code creating special labels products sold united states canada added expense recoup somewhere said debra shimkus marketing manager chicago importing company specialty food importer whose overseas suppliers often incredulous told get new bar codes products sold american groceries many foreign manufacturers decide worth trouble lot companies unwilling accept additional burden mr terwilliger said stayed market entirely american canadian exporters obstacle foreign retailers easily incorporate 12digit number 13digit databases making first digit zero american canadian manufacturers products 12digit codes affected code expansion twoliter bottle cocacola example keep upc zero added beginning barcode number retailers product databases effect change upc code falls squarely retailers said mr friedman estimates upgrade cost least 2 million chain 100 stores 10 checkout lanes store expense vary depending age retailers databases software hardware whether hire outside consultants make change scanners hardware bought three years ago read longer codes replaced software five years old also scrapped thank god wed already planned buy new equipment lot stores year said richard gilbert director store systems duane reade chain 200 drugstores new york city stores total 3500 scanning devices costing 1000 2500 cumbersome database modifications need made mr gilbert said consultants say working havent gotten back plan still dont know big deal going might want ask john poss mr poss merchandising coordinator ace hardware 5100 stores sells 65000 coded products ace overhauled computer systems accept longer bar codes 1999 company based oak brook ill retail outlets 70 countries hundred foreign suppliers struggle get manufacturers relabel things north america mr poss said wanted system place globally decided make change company hired consultant cognizant technology solutions based teaneck nj division dun bradstreet aces inhouse team worked project day cognizant office india took night even project took almost two years plan carry addition equipment upgrades modifications made 500 software programs various company divisions 50 distribution alone tedious timeconsuming part conversion mr poss said making adjustments databases every database every division touches bar code information needed reworked said like y2k go expand fields find every reference date though mr poss would disclose cost project said gains efficiency suppliers good well worth expense advice retailers get busy youre facing extreme challenge moving 13 digits may enough universal code council ean international formed alliance 1996 strongly advise manufacturers retailers go step prepare systems accommodate 14digit code length newly patented bar code takes less space reduced size means affixed small items like loose produce extra digits let retailer keep track additional data like batch lot numbers additional information would make product recalls easier today mr terwilliger said product taken shipping container warehouse really cant track anymore shipping container bar codes already 14 digits different barcode standards mean retailers need different computer systems shipping receiving inventory sales adopting 14digit standard retailers able put information single database mr poss said ace added capacity scan store 14 digits made conversion three years ago scan anything said whether warehouse register immediately goes centralized system sending data divisions cost work making transition 14 digits said would change 13 digits representatives standards groups said adopting 14digit structure step date set could help streamline sharing data among parts retail operation would also make possible said identify products anywhere world time trade process think started pack gum mr poss said httpwwwnytimescom20020812technology12codehtmlex1030208144ei1en1b5705e7bd2048e6 advertise information advertising email newsletters creative advertising opportunities 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