APOD: QR Codes: Not for Human Eyes (2011 Oct 04)

[Guest]

The least you could have done is made the QR code from tiles of previous APOD images.

[Guest]

Lot of pissed off people here. Seriously, you should demand your money back.

I want my money back!

[Psnarf]

I am not a smartphone owner, nor do I play one on TV. QR code is patented. You have to pay the folks over at ISO to get a copy of the standard. Malicious codes can be superimposed over malign codes, a security risk leaving the door open for all sorts of naughty people to get inside your phone.

That said, it's easier to decode a QR code than to figure out what the heck those symbols on the Pioneer spacecrafts mean. [http://apod.nasa.gov] Looking for space monkeys with vision sensors that are tuned to wavelengths between 400 - 700 nm might be construed as hubris, but I digress.

I postulate that there is a reason our APOD benefactors chose this topic. I find no fault in that. In fact I thank them for providing me with a puzzle that prompted me to toss some C code at the screen based upon the Wikipedia article.

Remember, Friday the 13th falls upon a Thursday this month, so be careful for whom you decide to withhold chocolate treats on the last night of the month.

[Excessive ingratiating praises to the Starship Crew are contained in the mini-mini-qr code at the end of this sentence.]

[damon]

Bad call guys.. really week link to astronomy. And quite insulting considering the images I've submitted that have never been used.

[boom]

geez. what a pack of freakin whingers. seriously. you all sound like the sort of butt-retainers who complain loudly when someone moves their milk from one shelf in the fridge to the other, or when someone doesn't put their stapler back in the right place.

mind you - you tend to find that those who post are those who have something to whinge about. like online restaurant reviews.

on behalf of APOD i'd like to apologise for trying to expand your tiny minds.

BORE-OFF.

qr codes seems to me like a decent way to meta-tag content without spraying characters all over the image.

it doesn't lead back to the home page - its a text based message.

it says:
'it is indeed an unexpected place for such a code'

[TheoricienQuantique]

APOD is generally great, but please don't do that anymore. Remember that not everybody owns a smartphone, let alone a brain capable of deciphering this stuff in an instant. I know you said it is "Not for human eyes" but heck... APOD should be for human eyes ! Astronomy Picture Of the DAY

[Penny]

Nice to have an explanation on two dimensional bar codes, which I use continually at work. Disappointing the explanation came through APOD. I'm glad others found out what it means, because I would never have known. I don' use a smart phone, I am computer savvy, and if this had at least been a star system or something relevant, it might have been OK. But circular? Like somebody else said, "Come on now". What was the point?

[ookboo]

E+MC2

Yeh! Ex2!

[ddorn777]

I don't own a device capable of reading the QR code, so I don't know exactly where it goes.

If I print it out, and post it on my wall, will folks be linked back to APOD's daily home page? Will it forever be a link to that?

If not, I won't print it out, but if so, I'd love to hang it up and catch the attention of my office mates.

Either way, it's pretty cool, and I definitely learned something new today.

[NoelC]

People keep trying to find uses for these time-wasting portable computing devices, for which they pay by the month forever.

As a culture we need to wise-up and realize that hundreds of millions of people walking around with their heads down distracted by stupid phones (they're anything but smart) aren't actually thinking or doing anything, though it looks like they are. Of course, people who enjoy such zoning-out will likely be offended by this comment. That's assuming they can read the tiny type this is displayed in.

Ever wonder WHY our economy is on the skids; why you can't get anything done right any more; why we no longer have an innovative, aggressive space program; WHY in 40+ years after proving we CAN visit the moon we haven't bothered to build a research facility there? Who wants to plan something difficult like that when we can play Angry Birds or Plants vs. Zombies instead?

But it doesn't matter. Before long we'll all be working in Chinese factories. Let's see who still carries around a stupid phone then.

-Noel

[Got what I paid for]

I find it highly entertaining that so many people are upset about today's APOD pic.. you would think they pay a monthly fee or something..

Get a refund!

[Penny]

To all the people who are insulting and are being very rude t o those of us who thought today's APOD was out of context, please be respectful. I don't always like to see nebula after nebula, and I do appreciate some fresh air from time to time. But I personally did not find much relevance today to the general thread of the APOD. Not even Le Ciel Des Hommes could expand on this one (they generally have a bit more explanation added

We are all free to agree and disagree. Please, again, we are all supposed to be inquisitive, thinking adults. Be respectful.

[jdfoot]

I have APOD as my homepage and I am not disappointed with this day's image. Those who spew such hateful negative responses can go elsewhere and good riddance. We have had SOOOOOOO many galaxies (not uninteresting, but how many galaxies can you see without getting a little bored?) that a brief change is welcome, and this one was informative. I do think it could have led somewhere more interesting, but the concept of an infinitely reflecting image in a pair of mirrors is also intriguing. Keep it up APOD, I'm a fan of many years and I forward to my friends every week or two. I loved the image of trees felled by the meteor in Siberia!

[SmartPhone]

Those who dont have smartphones are obviously stupid.They do way more than just play games and text idiots.Get your head out of your asses and move into the new age.

[Dick Henry]

Wow, I am surprised at the infuriated reaction. It reminds me of when Ann Finkbeiner published something in Sky and Telescope on quantum mechanics. It seems that some people seek a refuge from the world in the stars - almost religious. Very educational for me to understand this, if I have.

[NICKL]

I was actually rather pleased to be finally provoked into finding out what these funny little boxes are.

Thank you, APOD!

[NoelC]

Those who dont have smartphones are obviously stupid.They do way more than just play games and text idiots.Get your head out of your asses and move into the new age.

And it's becoming ever more clear that smartphone users have developed simply excellent social skills, not to mention the ability to use language in new and innovative ways.

But please, don't let me influence you - go right on ahead and text all the idiots you know.

-Noel

[Dick]

I think you guys know by now this was totally stupid and not worthy of your good name. I bet you all feel

[primefocuser]

I think a lot of rancor could have been averted if the QR code had linked to this APOD image: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap050313.html or even this APOD image: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070908.html At least these would have tied the image into images relating to mankind's attempt to reach out to the cosmos.

I always thought APOD's mission was to demonstrate the diversity, complexity and beauty of the universe. This one came off as an ad for iPhone 5. Really, I think Apple has enough budget to push its products without APOD's help.

[auggie]

actually, the best response was the qr code saying "Get a Life". Sad, but I too wanted some astronomy image, not a grocery store image. Leave qr codes to best buy.

[Madyareh]

Is this APOD or Hatebook ?
You guys gotta find higher ground.
Either develop a sense of diversity and appreciation or get out.
There are plenty of trash sites elsewhere for you to go to...

[April fool prank?]

April fool day is early or late this year

Sorry, APOD guys, bad timing: This would have been good for April fool day.

With a more reasonable explanation of its meaning it could also have been acceptable today.

But in this way, I am not amused.

[ol1bit]

Well,

Working for an airline, and dealing with Cel phone check-in's this was a slam dunk. I always like what you guys put up, and for those who don't have a CEL phone or no experience bar codes it's kind of cool to enlighten them.

I wonder if Nasa has any kind of barcodes on space faring craft which might be encounters by aliens at some future Date?

Just think 10 million years from now Voyager 1 & 2 will still be going! Any Alien's who could decrypt English, should be able to do bar codes as well. Any we can store much more uniform information in a 2D barcode (driver's license) than in English. A CD/DVD/Blu Ray might not be readable just because of the technology differences.

[Guest]

This is by far the most insulting image you could have posted! With all of the amature astronmers who have taken the time to submit their images and you people choose this as an APOD....I'm through! Bye Bye!

Zero... A little patience please. I agree this was not one of the better APODs, but come on. I have had APOD as my home page for nearly 10 years. Sometimes great, sometimes good, occasionally so-so... Out of a 10 year run, I can do nothing but applaud APOD. Are you perfect all the time!?

[star-geezer]

I seriously question what in the world the QR Code has to do with astronomy. And how does this apply to the statement at the top of each APOD post that it contains a "brief explanation written by a professional astronomer." Seems to be a gratuitous ad for the Kaywa QR Code Generator.