how does a barcode scanning system work? and is it an iformation system? PLEASE SOMEONE HELP?

how does a barcode scanning system work? and is it an iformation system? PLEASE SOMEONE HELP?
barcode system as in one at woolworths, coles, or any store. how do they work? and if you can, please tell me the social and ethical issues involved around it. please i need to know this by today. if you have any helpful links, they would be appreciated. points for detailed answers. thanks

Best answer:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode

inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blbar_code.htm

Provides some background information.
Check the links at the bottom (and do a copy-and-paste to save those links in a Notepad file so you can return to them later).

As for the social and ethical issues, I can’t think of any.

But I put this phrase into Yahoo Search:

barcode ethic

and got some interesting links, here is one:

urbanlegends.about.com/od/fooddrink/a/barcodes.htm
Do Bar Codes Reveal Where a Product Is Made?
Summary: Forwarded email claims potentially hazardous products made in China can be identified by examining the first three digits of the bar code on the packaging, which supposedly indicate the country of origin.

[ This is an example of people who know very little trying to scare other people with false allegations or false information. Therefore, this is an example of a social and ethical issue involving bar codes. ]

Barcodes usually do not contain very much information. When you look at the UPC on products in stores, there are usually only 10 numerals. But those ten or so numerals form a unique identifying code to the manufacturer and the store, they look up the number in their databases and find information that matches that number. So the bar code is just a small part of an information system.

Tags: Barcode, HELP, iformation, please, scanning, someone, system, work

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