Barcode

A **barcode** is an optical [|machine-readable]  representation of data, which shows data about the object to which it attaches. Originally barcodes represented data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or 1 dimensional (1D). Later they evolved into [|rectangles] , [|dots] , [|hexagons]  and other geometric patterns in 2 dimensions (2D). Barcodes originally were scanned by special [|optical scanners]  called [|barcode readers] ; later, scanners and interpretive software became available on devices including [|desktop printers]  and [|smartphones] <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';">. <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';">Barcodes such as the <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; text-decoration: none;">[|UPC] <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';"> (Universal Product Code) have become a ubiquitous element of modern civilization, as evidenced by their enthusiastic adoption by stores around the world; almost every item other than fresh produce from a <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; text-decoration: none;">[|grocery store] <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';">, <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; text-decoration: none;">[|department store] <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';">, and <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; text-decoration: none;">[|mass merchandiser] <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';"> has a UPC barcode on it. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';">Aztec Code was invented by Andy Longacre of Welch Allyn Inc. in 1995 and is in the public domain. Aztec Code was designed for ease-of-printing and ease-of-decoding. The symbols are square overall on a square grid with a square central bulls eye finder. The smallest Aztec Code symbol is 15x15 modules square, and the largest is 151x151. The smallest Aztec Code symbol encodes 13 numeric or 12 alphabetic characters, while the largest Aztec Code symbol encodes 3832 numeric or 3067 alphabetic characters or 1914 bytes of data.
 * Barcode **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';">Uses: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';">Barcodes can allow for the organization of large amounts of data.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';">They can also be used to keep track of objects and people.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';">Some 2D barcodes embed a <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; text-decoration: none;">[|hyperlink] <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';"> to a <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif'; text-decoration: none;">[|web page] <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';">.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua','serif';">Aztec Code: **