Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!lll-lcc!mordor!styx!ames!ucbcad!ucbvax!XX.LCS.MIT.EDU!ELMO From: ELMO@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU Newsgroups: mod.telecom Subject: (none) Message-ID: <8612310105.AA02135@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> Date: Tue, 30-Dec-86 20:05:56 EST Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8612310105.AA02135 Posted: Tue Dec 30 20:05:56 1986 Date-Received: Wed, 31-Dec-86 00:46:33 EST Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 53 Approved: telecom@xx.lcs.mit.edu Date: Wed, 24 Dec 86 09:20:36 pst To: Telecom@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU Subject: Bar Codes on U.S. Mail Date: Tue, 16 Dec 86 17:08:46 PST From: Rich WalesI have some observations and questions regarding the "bar codes" which the U.S. Postal Service has been using for a while on mail. These codes are most often seen on preprinted reply envelopes and postcards (e.g., for paying bills, subscribing to magazines, etc.). Every so often, they get printed on private mail as well. First of all, for anyone who may be interested, here's a description of the code. (I figured it out in my spare time last Saturday, by looking carefully at several preprinted reply envelopes.) . . . [description omitted] (2) What are the regulations outlining the circumstances under which the bar codes will be, can be, or must be put on mail? (a) I'm sure all those businesses haven't put those codes on their reply envelopes out of the goodness of their hearts. And, in the case of bill envelopes, I can't even see how the companies might be benefitting from a reduction in postage -- since the bill-paying consumer still has to put a stamp on the envelope! Doesn't seem unreasonable that a special rate exist for bill mailings where the reply envelope has barcodes. It would be more expensive than junk mail, but cheaper than ordinary presorted first class. (b) Reasonably often (but not always), I see a bar code on a private letter -- apparently put there by a dot-matrix printer. I would assume the Postal Service did this -- but why do they do it only on some envelopes and not on others? Are the zip codes particularly legible or illegible on the envelopes that have the codes? See my thoughts on (c) (c) With the increasing use of personal computers, it would seem to be an easy matter to write a program so that individuals could print these bar codes on their own outgoing mail. Even if this didn't earn one a reduction in postage :-}, still it might help speed up mail delivery. Has the Postal Service thought of this? I suspect that there would be far more payoff in OCR of typewritten zip codes. I understand this is already done to a limited extent. -dick