Re: Accuracy of Time/Date Stamp on a Metcard

[Michael Edge <medge@sia.net.au>]

Paul Dwerryhouse wrote:

<SNIP>

> My question is this:
> 
> Are they for real??  How hard is it to write a program that prints the
> date on the back of a card?
> 
> This is a very basic computer programming exercise, generally given to
> first year university students!

This was more likely a hardware fault, the clock chip in the validator
may have lost the time. 

<SNIP>

> It's blatantly obvious that the Victorian Government has taken the cheap
> path in regard to the system (and they _are_ typically cheap people) -
> I don't see the machines remaining in working order for too long.
> 

Far from taking the cheap route, the system's problem seem to be that
too much of the system was developed from scratch rather than takeing
tried technology from elsewhere. This means the system is doomed to
suffer from the teething problems that other technologies have already
ironed out.  Sydneys system could have easily been adapted for Melbourne
and it has very few non-vandalism related problems now.

> Are we destined to be battling run down and shoddy validators and barriers
> that swallow tickets for the remainder of the Met's life?
> 
> ...Paul
> 
> --
> Paul Dwerryhouse                                        paul@xenu.ee.mu.oz.au
> "The growing use of e-mail, not to mention Web-page publishing, threatens to
> reverse the trend towards illiteracy among the supposedly educated without at
> the same time improving their spelling". -- Michael Swaine, Dr. Dobb's Journal


======================
Michael Edge
Sydney, Australia

email: medge@sia.net.au