Why do people fall for this?
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@BenCotterill @revk Yep, both have their place.
@neil @BenCotterill @revk And the place for QR codes is the bin. I'd rather pick up and reuse needles from the ground than follow a link that could be pointing literally anywhere because it's not human readable.
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@revk a similar thing that saddens me is shop/van signs saying "https://joes-garden-services.com/ joesgarden2241@gmail.com"... You've got that lovely domain, why not use it for email?
@kitten_tech @revk
… while most of Joe’s online ‘traffic’ goes via a Facebook page. Where everything’s an image (& not a scrap of alt-text). I despair! -
@neil @BenCotterill @revk And the place for QR codes is the bin. I'd rather pick up and reuse needles from the ground than follow a link that could be pointing literally anywhere because it's not human readable.
@woe2you @neil @BenCotterill My iphone shows me the domain before I follow the link.
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@woe2you @neil @BenCotterill My iphone shows me the domain before I follow the link.
Same here on Android.
As I say, I prefer to see the content separately, but I appreciate the convenience of a QR code.
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Same here on Android.
As I say, I prefer to see the content separately, but I appreciate the convenience of a QR code.
@neil @revk @woe2you @BenCotterill Of course, this is another reason to show the code for mycompany.co.uk rather than dodgyintermediaries.com.
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@neil @revk @woe2you @BenCotterill Of course, this is another reason to show the code for mycompany.co.uk rather than dodgyintermediaries.com.
@RogerBW @neil @woe2you @BenCotterill Indeed.
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Same here on Android.
As I say, I prefer to see the content separately, but I appreciate the convenience of a QR code.
But I am, I suppose, coming at this from the perspective of a QR code for a URL *where the actual URL of the target* is in the QR code. Not some "QR-code-as-a-service" proxy.
But then I feel the same about link shorteners etc., for plain text URLs: just show me the actual destination.
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@neil @revk @woe2you @BenCotterill Of course, this is another reason to show the code for mycompany.co.uk rather than dodgyintermediaries.com.
@RogerBW @revk @woe2you @BenCotterill
Yes, snap.
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But I am, I suppose, coming at this from the perspective of a QR code for a URL *where the actual URL of the target* is in the QR code. Not some "QR-code-as-a-service" proxy.
But then I feel the same about link shorteners etc., for plain text URLs: just show me the actual destination.
@neil @revk @BenCotterill At this point it's safe to assume all shortening is explicitly to disguise tracking.
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@revk thats why i run my own short url with qr code website to avoid this
@KaraDanvers @revk
No need for a short URL (They are terrible things).
Also loads of free QR code generation SW.
Inkscape is one. -
@revk because most people don't know that a qr code is just some text in reliably scannable form. They think it's some complicated magic thing that requires Services.
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Why do people fall for this?
Second time I have seen a nicely printed sign in a shop window with a #QR which when scanned says your free trial is over.
Just make the QR go to your own website FFS.
[helpful info: my free code tools https://qr.revk.uk and web QR encoder https://4.gg at bottom of page - includes a lot of QR abuse as well]
@revk Some companies use a QR code forwarder to send the user to the relevant App Store based on iPhone/Android user agent. If you check the parking companies’ TrustPilot reviews, you will find people who have been scammed by the interstitial ad, because the company is using the ad supported version instead of paying. It happed at my day job. Thanks, marketing department!
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Why do people fall for this?
Second time I have seen a nicely printed sign in a shop window with a #QR which when scanned says your free trial is over.
Just make the QR go to your own website FFS.
[helpful info: my free code tools https://qr.revk.uk and web QR encoder https://4.gg at bottom of page - includes a lot of QR abuse as well]
@revk
Missing (so far) in the replies is how to generate a QR code with the text or URL you want. I didn't know.I accidentally found out that using duckduckgo to search for "qr code https://www.example.com" generates the qr code.
(Initially I searched for "qr code format" and was surprised, but delighted, to be presented with a QR code that represents the word "format")
The Wikipedia page on QR codes suggests LibreOffice can generate them too
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@mark yeah those are almost by definition going to be predatory
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@neil @revk @woe2you @BenCotterill Of course, this is another reason to show the code for mycompany.co.uk rather than dodgyintermediaries.com.
@RogerBW @neil @woe2you @BenCotterill May have to register dodgyintermediaries.com
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@KaraDanvers @revk
No need for a short URL (They are terrible things).
Also loads of free QR code generation SW.
Inkscape is one.@raymaccarthy @KaraDanvers I did not know added to inkscape... I have https://4.gg
Yes it does short URLs but bottom of page codes any QR you want.
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@revk
Missing (so far) in the replies is how to generate a QR code with the text or URL you want. I didn't know.I accidentally found out that using duckduckgo to search for "qr code https://www.example.com" generates the qr code.
(Initially I searched for "qr code format" and was surprised, but delighted, to be presented with a QR code that represents the word "format")
The Wikipedia page on QR codes suggests LibreOffice can generate them too
@happysteve Yeh inkscape, and many other. I wrote a QR generator, see HTTPS://QR.REVK.UK
You can also generate at HTTPS://4.GG
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@raymaccarthy @KaraDanvers I did not know added to inkscape... I have https://4.gg
Yes it does short URLs but bottom of page codes any QR you want.
@revk @KaraDanvers
Short URLS are *potentially* evil as you can't know what they are for.
My phone app to read barcodes & QR codes displays the text and offers a selection of options, which may include the default web browser.I (and others) never click/tap a short URL. They seem to have been invented for Twitter. Here uses 23 chars no matter what length URL is and real URLs are no problem for QR codes.
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@revk @KaraDanvers Ah, but then they won’t have access to
analytics that nobody ever looks at. (Let alone has any idea what to do with the information.)
Unfortunately, it all comes down to the assumption that *all* of tech is too complex to understand, so “normal people just running a small business” just have to blindly trust a bunch of random service providers.@pmdj @revk @KaraDanvers I really wish society was set up such that there was always a local guy, gal or nonbinary pal or a few who just Know Tech and who the local people who need tech set up turn to. But instead no, all you get is capitalism and free trials and a few companies gatekeeping email.
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Why do people fall for this?
Second time I have seen a nicely printed sign in a shop window with a #QR which when scanned says your free trial is over.
Just make the QR go to your own website FFS.
[helpful info: my free code tools https://qr.revk.uk and web QR encoder https://4.gg at bottom of page - includes a lot of QR abuse as well]
@revk I make QR codes for links in our printed parish magazine, alongside actually typing out the url. There are any number of generators available; I use yours Rev!
Can recommend Binary Eye reader; FOSS and lets you choose what to do with the text it reads.
