Magnetic Card Readers For Linux? 10
Squeezer asks: "I'm working at a state library which has a new building under construction. The staff wants the building to run Linux for everything due to its stability. Our plans include a magnetic card similar to a credit card that has a magnetic strip. When a patron swipes their card, depending on their location, it will either let them: enter the library, print out a catalog on a book, let them print out an article, allow them to make a copy, and so on. I have been doing research but I am unable to find any magnetic card readers that support Linux. Any Slashdot readers have any advice or recommendations for such devices?"
why not smart cards? (Score:1)
Fight censors!
keyboard wedges (Score:2)
Welch Allyn. (Score:3)
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Magnetic Card Readers for Linux (Score:2)
You might also want to look at this page [lionking.org]. If there is a smart card command line utility for Linux, chances are there must be some supported readers. Good luck!
Why we are are using magnetic vs smart cards (Score:2)
Mag stripes and barcoding (Score:2)
I havent seen any libraries use mag stripes before, but I have seen them make use of bar coded cards for the patrons and also have the books bar coded. Both devices are designed in the same manner of keyboard wedges, I think there might also be a few serial systems and pc card (for handhelds).
If anything, I would go with barcodes on the books and barcode on the patron's card. You can get magstripe card readers that also read barcodes on cards. But I would think barcode scanners would be the way to go, you can always find one quicker than a magstripe/barcode card reader if one fails (and they dont have as high failure rate where magstripes do). Barcode readers also make checking in/out books faster than the old paper, signature, rubber stamp style. Also during the twice a year inventory check, barcodes on the books make finding missing books quicker (a week compared to several weeks)
But if you are looking for either one check out www.barcode.com [barcode.com] they have a catalog they can send out to you.
I recommend calling a speciallist to show you their gear, ask them durability and speed questions about the hardware and software and the database. Then after they leave take those answers and come up with your own system, you can probably cut hundreds of dollars off of their system running linux, with cheap barcode readers you can get anywhere (even in old computer hardware stores). Some extras to think about, an thermal transfer printer (because old thermal tape always fades away after 3 months, but thermal transfer stays), a datalogger (for those inventory days and mass book check in, dataloggers get you away from the pc, but captures the data you scan, then you sync it to the computer like a palm pilot).
Another neato gadget, a palm pilot with a barcode scanner on it (interesting but doesnt have good application here).
Email me for more info just take out the comment \*dontspam*\. Im just scratching the surface of my memory on these things (Im posting from work and ended up talking to a vistor half way thru my posting)
Keyboard (Score:2)
-russ
Actually... (Score:2)
May be a bit expensive, though...
Worldcom [worldcom.com] - Generation Duh!
Just a normal serial device (Score:2)
Re:Welch Allyn. (Score:1)
"Homo sum: humani nil a me alienum puto"
(I am a man: nothing human is alien to me)