John Pickering - 4 October, 2000
testing, archival quality labels, vials, USB adapter, new imager
Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2000 13:17:11 -0400
To: longinoj@elwha.evergreen.edu
From: John Pickering
Subject: testing, archival quality labels, vials, USB adapter, new imager
Cc: sackley@compuserve.com, ashe@falcon.cc.ukans.edu, brianb@mizar.usc.edu,
bclark@acofi.edu, colwell@uconnvm.uconn.edu, Furth.David@NMNH.SI.EDU,
tgreer@intermec.com, whallwac@sas.upenn.edu, djanzen@sas.upenn.edu,
Johnson.2@osu.edu, juddd@ava.bcc.orst.edu, dkavanaugh@calacademy.org,
mkaspari@ou.edu, Keith_Langdon@nps.gov, LariviereM@landcare.cri.nz,
smiller@icipe.org, Gary.Murphy@intermec.com,
pin93001@uconnvm.uconn.edu, becky_nichols@nps.gov,
Chuck_Parker@nps.gov, rob_roughley@umanitoba.ca,
msharkey@byron.ca.uky.edu, skillen@pick.uga.edu, ctemple@intermec.com,
cthompso@sel.barc.usda.gov, jugalde@inbio.ac.cr, weickkd@aol.com,
windsord@tivoli.si.edu, dl@pick.uga.edu, Louis.Tran@intermec.com
Jack,
Thanks for agreeing to be a guinea pig. I'll let you know as soon as I'm
ready. I'm currently waiting to register our prefix with AIM, Inc., thus
giving us an industry standard. Then I need to update and test the latest
rev level on my Imager, write some more code for our Web interface, and
then bingo -- ready for testing, probably sometime in November.
Thanks for your suggestions regarding archival quality labels. While we
can't be certain without a 200-year test, I'm very comfortable with the
quality of the new labels. They are thermal transfer and are much better
than our older code-49 ones that were produced by a photographic process.
I'd bet money that they're as good as any of the untested injet/laser
printer ones many folks, including as myself, are now using on acid free
rag. They are designed to last for centuries, but its hard to know whether
they'll really withstand the test of time. I'm testing them in 70% ETOH,
95% ETOH, water, and dry under full sun on my window-ledge. So far no
fading or degrading. Clearly, as you suggest, purists can always double
label.
Yes, I too am a little disappointed with INBIO sized labels and plan
eventually have the option of smaller 15-16mm wide labels. The 3240
printer should handle such a specification. The drawback to producing one
at this time is that we will need to have a new dye made to cut our label
stock to the smaller size. Not sure how much it will cost, but on the
order of a one-time charge of $2,000.
The 1470 imager can read data matrix labels inside vials so long as they
are against the glass. It has difficulty with ones that are floating
around. We're developing a wonderful label that is self-stick for the
outside of vials that overcome the floater problem; although I'll still put
labels inside my vials as a backup and would advise others to do the same.
Your Taiwanese rs232-usb adapter may work. If you want to send me one, I'd
be delighted to test it on my iMacs and Powerbook. Alternately, if you're
not in a rush, I suggest waiting for Intermec's next generation of imagers,
which I believe will read more efficiently, have USB wedge/connections, and
be less expensive. I was planning to wait, but it would only take an
adapter in hand to try what you suggest.
Cheers,
Pick
>X-Sender: ac_computing/longinoj/longinoj@192.211.22.9 (Unverified)
>Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 16:50:55 -0700
>To: John Pickering
>From: "John T. Longino"
>Subject: Re: barcodes + rogadines
>
>Pick,
>
>This looks fantastic. I think we would be happy to be your guinea
>pig. Suggestion:
>
>For the old-fashioned entomologists worried about archival qualities
>of synthetic label stock, and also for people who mount big bugs that
>would cover a face-up label, can you have an option for those who
>want a smaller label, 15-16mm wide, with just the symbology and the
>printed code? In other words, some of us will want to maintain the
>current system, with a standard locality label offset printed on
>acid-free cardstock, and a separate barcode label that can go upside
>down underneath.
>
>Although I just thought of an alternative! (ignoring the big bug
>problem for the moment). We could have your up-facing
>symbology/locality combo label, and put a traditional offset print
>locality label with the same data right under it and flush with it.
>To satisfy the archivalists. If the synthetic label fades or crumbles
>with time, the paper one will be there underneath.
>
>I guess big bug people could put a traditional label face up, and
>your label face down. That would actually be great, because you could
>read the locality data for big bugs, instead of having to squint
>underneath it.
>
>Will the imager work for barcodes in vials, pressed up against the
>glass like ALAS uses? The laser scanner reads these very well.
>
>So what about the Taiwanese rs232-usb adapter? Think it will work?
>
>Jack
>
>>Jack,
>>
>>Thanks for your inquiry about barcodes. Generally good news. I've spent
>>most of my summer developing a new and improved solution. I even visited
>>Intermec to get their help. I'm nearly there on most fronts. If
>>everything continues on tract, I'll have a fantastic solution ready for
>>testing late this fall and plan to wow everybody at ECN.
>>
>>I'm fine tuning a new label that employs data matrix symbols. Go to
>> to get an idea of what it looks like. Follow links
>>under "Labels" and then "Overview." What you see is where I was about a
>>month ago. The symbol is now somewhat smaller. Bottom line, I can print
>>"all-in-one" labels that combine a conventional label and a unique symbol
>>into a single INBIO-sized label.
>>
>>I'm writing a Web interface for a database that will allow authorized users
>>to format globally unique labels via their browser and print them on
>>Web-based printers. My ultimate goal is then to allow any authorized user
>>to use the Web to associate additional data with the labels, such as info
>>on determinations, and for the general public to retrieve what we wish to
>>disseminate.
>>
>>Some hurdles still exist before I have a complete solution that will work
>>for everyone. While I can read the new labels very, very quickly with a
>>1470 imager on my UNIX box, it will be next year before Mac and Wintell
>>users will be able to do the same -- unless they are willing to write a
>>software interface for the 1470, which unfortunately doesn't come with a
>>keyboard wedge interface. Sometime around March, Intermec plans to have a
>>new USB imager that will solve this problem and make reading the labels
>>possible on machines with USB ports without writing any software.
>>
>>Let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions. If you like, I
>>could send you some samples. I also have some gummed labels for slides and
>>vials in a formative stage. Ideally, I'd like you to be a beta test site
>>early next year.
>>
>>Mike just wrote to me about getting more ALAS rogadines from your mountain
>>transect. Delighted. I'm planning on it. Thanks.
>>
>>Cheers,
>>Pick
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> >Pick,
>> >
>> >You there? How's life?
>> >
>> >It's time to revisit the barcode scene. Do you have any new
>> >ideas/info? The last activity on the website was over a year ago.
>> >
>> >Jack
>> >******************************************************
>> >John T. Longino
>> >Lab I, The Evergreen State College
>> >Olympia WA 98505 USA
>> >longinoj@evergreen.edu
>> >Ants of Costa Rica on the Web at http://www.evergreen.edu/ants
>> >Project ALAS at http://viceroy.eeb.uconn.edu/ALAS/ALAS.html
>> >******************************************************
>
>******************************************************
>John T. Longino
>Lab I, The Evergreen State College
>Olympia WA 98505 USA
>longinoj@evergreen.edu
>Ants of Costa Rica on the Web at http://www.evergreen.edu/ants
>Project ALAS at http://viceroy.eeb.uconn.edu/ALAS/ALAS.html
>******************************************************
>