Rob <nomail@example.com> wrote
> Carlos E. R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote
>> On 15/09/2021 09.24, nospam wrote:
>>> Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote

>>>> I still don't understand why all your bills are
>>>> exactly the same size.
>>>
>>> better fit in wallets.
>>>
>>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>>
>>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money, then
>>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
>>
>> nospam is wrong of course™.
>>
>> Here, you can see them selling a state raffle run by the blind people
>> organization (ONCE), and they are alone. They take bills and coins.
>
> Yes, it may be different in the US but here in EU people with poor
> vision are considered to be full-fledged people worthy of living
> a normal life.

They are free to do that using a card or phone.

In theory its not that easy with vending machines,
but it makes more sense to mandate that vending
machine take cards and phones than to buggerise
around with different sized bank notes.

Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
> nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote
>> Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
>>> I still don't understand why all your bills are
>>> exactly the same size.
>>
>> better fit in wallets.
>>
>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>
>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money, then
>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
> That's ableist bullshit. Disabled people are perfectly capable
> of living independent lives, in many ways like anyone else.

Yeah, there is one who posts quite a bit in another group
who mostly does do stuff alone. Unlikely to be shopping
alone tho, he is completely blind. He does go out alone
tho and complains about the difficulty with doing that.

He does have an iphone tho so can avoid using
any cash at all, he is also in the UK, in London.

Can't see why the banknotes can't have a barcode
on them so that the blind can get their phone to tell
them the value and that would be better with machines
like vending machines and self checkouts too.

On 15/09/2021 21.16, nospam wrote:
> In article <shtceo$ojp$1@dont-email.me>, Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>>
>>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money, then
>>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
>>
>> That's ableist bullshit. Disabled people are perfectly capable of living
>> independent lives, in many ways like anyone else.
>
> nobody said they couldn't. the point is if they can't read the numbers
> on the money, they're going to have additional problems than which bill
> to use.
>

Which is why the notes here were designing in a manner that they can
read them.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:
> Rob <nomail@example.com> wrote
>> Carlos E. R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote
>>> On 15/09/2021 09.24, nospam wrote:
>>>> Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
>
>>>>> I still don't understand why all your bills are
>>>>> exactly the same size.
>>>>
>>>> better fit in wallets.
>>>>
>>>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>>>
>>>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money, then
>>>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
>>>
>>> nospam is wrong of course™.
>>>
>>> Here, you can see them selling a state raffle run by the blind people
>>> organization (ONCE), and they are alone. They take bills and coins.
>>
>> Yes, it may be different in the US but here in EU people with poor
>> vision are considered to be full-fledged people worthy of living
>> a normal life.
>
> They are free to do that using a card or phone.
>
> In theory its not that easy with vending machines,
> but it makes more sense to mandate that vending
> machine take cards and phones than to buggerise
> around with different sized bank notes.

But this solution exists for much longer than cards and phones!
Our previous banknotes even had profiled digits and markers to
the value could be recognized by visually impaired without size
difference.

Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:
> Rob <nomail@example.com> wrote
>> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>>> Carlos E. R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote
>>>> The Real Bev wrote
>>>>> AJL wrote
>>>>>> Carlos E. R. wrote
>>>
>>>>>> I always hated the $1 coin. A bill is so much easier to handle.
>>>>>> It was never very popular here, perhaps for that reason.
>>>
>>>>> We used to go to yard sales. I carried $1s and quarters, which covered
>>>>> pretty much everything we wanted to buy. I was deeply resentful when
>>>>> I bought stamps from a machine and was given change in $1 coins.
>>>>> What idiot wants to carry $20 in coins in a pocket or purse?
>>>
>>>> It should be 1$ coin, 2$ coin, the 5$ bill and 10$ bill. Not 20·1$
>>>> coins.
>>>
>>> It should take cards and phones.
>
>> We can print our own stamps at home.
>
> We can print the shipping label but
> not everyone has a printer at home.

When you had continued reading:

>> You get a barcode you can print on a label or on the envelope.
>> You can even write the digits of the code on the envelope by
>> hand. No need to go to a machine or store for that.

You would see that even without a printer, you can get a numeric
code at a webshop, handwrite that on the envelope, and it can be
processed by the automatic system.

AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:
> On 9/15/2021 5:49 AM, Rob wrote:
>
>> it may be different in the US but here in EU people with poor
>> vision are considered to be full-fledged people worthy of living
>> a normal life.
>
> Your roads must be a bit dangerous with blind people driving... ;)

Fortunately the average driving skill in Europe is a lot better
than in the USA! When I see videos of driving in the USA it is
hardly better than in Russia...

Rob <nomail@example.com> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>> Rob <nomail@example.com> wrote
>>> Carlos E. R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote
>>>> On 15/09/2021 09.24, nospam wrote:
>>>>> Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
>>
>>>>>> I still don't understand why all your bills are
>>>>>> exactly the same size.
>>>>>
>>>>> better fit in wallets.
>>>>>
>>>>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>>>>
>>>>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money, then
>>>>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
>>>>
>>>> nospam is wrong of course™.
>>>>
>>>> Here, you can see them selling a state raffle run by the blind people
>>>> organization (ONCE), and they are alone. They take bills and coins.
>>>
>>> Yes, it may be different in the US but here in EU people with poor
>>> vision are considered to be full-fledged people worthy of living
>>> a normal life.
>>
>> They are free to do that using a card or phone.
>>
>> In theory its not that easy with vending machines,
>> but it makes more sense to mandate that vending
>> machine take cards and phones than to buggerise
>> around with different sized bank notes.

> But this solution exists for much longer than cards and phones!

Sure but the world moves on, just like it did with snail mail letters.

> Our previous banknotes even had profiled digits
> and markers to the value could be recognized
> by visually impaired without size difference.

Yeah, the different sized notes is a stupid approach,
must be very difficult for vending machines and
self checkout terminals.

nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> In article <shtceo$ojp$1@dont-email.me>, Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>>
>>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money, then
>>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
>>
>> That's ableist bullshit. Disabled people are perfectly capable of living
>> independent lives, in many ways like anyone else.
>
> nobody said they couldn't. the point is if they can't read the numbers
> on the money, they're going to have additional problems than which bill
> to use.
>

No, the point is there's no good reason for US bills to all be the same
size. All other countries can see that.

Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
> nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote
>> Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote

>>>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>>>
>>>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money, then
>>>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
>>>
>>> That's ableist bullshit. Disabled people are perfectly capable of living
>>> independent lives, in many ways like anyone else.
>>
>> nobody said they couldn't. the point is if they can't read the numbers
>> on the money, they're going to have additional problems than which bill
>> to use.
>>
>
> No, the point is there's no good reason for US bills to all be the same
> size.

In fact there is a very good reason now that there
are much better approaches than the size of the bill.

> All other countries can see that.

Plenty don’t have different sized bills.

On 9/15/2021 2:07 PM, Chris wrote:

> the point is there's no good reason for US bills to all be the same
> size.

Course there is. The bills fit neatly in my wallet (and machines).

> All other countries can see that.

Yup. Eight sovereign nations also use the U.S. dollar as their official
currency.

<https://www.investopedia.com/articles/forex/040915/countries-use-us-dollar.asp>

On 9/15/2021 1:39 PM, Rob wrote:

> When I see videos of driving in the USA
> it is hardly better than in Russia.

I enjoy watching Tik Tok videos too...

Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:
> Rob <nomail@example.com> wrote
>> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>>> Rob <nomail@example.com> wrote
>>>> Carlos E. R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote
>>>>> On 15/09/2021 09.24, nospam wrote:
>>>>>> Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
>>>
>>>>>>> I still don't understand why all your bills are
>>>>>>> exactly the same size.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> better fit in wallets.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money, then
>>>>>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
>>>>>
>>>>> nospam is wrong of course™.
>>>>>
>>>>> Here, you can see them selling a state raffle run by the blind people
>>>>> organization (ONCE), and they are alone. They take bills and coins.
>>>>
>>>> Yes, it may be different in the US but here in EU people with poor
>>>> vision are considered to be full-fledged people worthy of living
>>>> a normal life.
>>>
>>> They are free to do that using a card or phone.
>>>
>>> In theory its not that easy with vending machines,
>>> but it makes more sense to mandate that vending
>>> machine take cards and phones than to buggerise
>>> around with different sized bank notes.
>
>> But this solution exists for much longer than cards and phones!
>
> Sure but the world moves on, just like it did with snail mail letters.
>
>> Our previous banknotes even had profiled digits
>> and markers to the value could be recognized
>> by visually impaired without size difference.
>
> Yeah, the different sized notes is a stupid approach,
> must be very difficult for vending machines and
> self checkout terminals.

Nope. They work just fine.

Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:
> Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
>> nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote
>>> Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
>
>>>>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>>>>
>>>>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money, then
>>>>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
>>>>
>>>> That's ableist bullshit. Disabled people are perfectly capable of living
>>>> independent lives, in many ways like anyone else.
>>>
>>> nobody said they couldn't. the point is if they can't read the numbers
>>> on the money, they're going to have additional problems than which bill
>>> to use.
>>>
>>
>> No, the point is there's no good reason for US bills to all be the same
>> size.
>
> In fact there is a very good reason now that there
> are much better approaches than the size of the bill.
>
>> All other countries can see that.
>
> Plenty don’t have different sized bills.

Like?

On 2021-09-15 11:04:08 +0000, Carlos E. R. said:
> On 15/09/2021 09.24, nospam wrote:
>> In article <shs5mp$et6$1@dont-email.me>, Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I still don't understand why all your bills are
>>> exactly the same size.
>>
>> better fit in wallets.
>>
>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>
>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money, then
>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
>
> nospam is wrong of course™.
>
> Here, you can see them selling a state raffle run by the blind people
> organization (ONCE), and they are alone. They take bills and coins.
>
> I don't remember if they take cards.

In many countries the coins and notes are purposely made different
(coins differ in size and some places shape, notes differ in size too)
partly so blind / low vision people can tell the difference.

On 2021-09-15 17:10:55 +0000, AJL said:
> On 9/15/2021 5:49 AM, Rob wrote:
>>
>> it may be different in the US but here in EU people with poor
>> vision are considered to be full-fledged people worthy of living
>> a normal life.
>
> Your roads must be a bit dangerous with blind people driving... ;)

Not when self-driving cars finally arrive (in about 2360!) ... your
kids will "drive" themselves to school, and even your pets will be able
to "drive" to the groomer or vet clinic.

One of the many reasons why self-driving cars are not even remotely an
answer to traffic congestion. EVERYONE will want their own and there
will be even more cars on the road.

And no, having public ones you call up is not the answer either - who
wants to get stuck with the one the drunken idiot just vomited in or
the one the one covered in grafitti and torn seats?

On 2021-09-15 11:08:34 +0000, Carlos E. R. said:
> On 15/09/2021 03.25, nospam wrote:
>> In article <hdr71ix768.ln2@minas-tirith.valinor>, Carlos E. R.
>> <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>>>>>> Eventually stores will do away with their mag-stripe readers and then
>>>>>>> support for Samsung Pay will go away.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> not for a *very* long time, since there are cards that only have
>>>>>> magstripe and will be for the foreseeable future, which means the
>>>>>> payment terminals must be able to read them.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have seen terminals here that can not read magnetic bands. It is
>>>>> either chip or contactless.
>>>>
>>>> then those with cards that have only a magstripe will be shopping
>>>> elsewhere.
>>>
>>> There are no such cards here.
>>
>> no gift cards?
>
> ok, but those are not "credit/debit cards".
>
>> <https://www.staterbros.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Giftcards_IMG_487
>> 6_SB_600x800.jpg>
>>
>> nearly all gift/prepaid cards do not have chips due to the additional
>> cost.
>>
>> some are specific to one store, while the mastercard/visa/amex prepaid
>> cards can be used at any store that accepts those cards.
>
> I have only used gift cards of one store, "El Corte Ingles", and this
> one is particular because their own shopping card is magnetic. And it
> fails often and has to be replaced often, so much that I don't know why
> they don't upgrade to chips.
>
>> <https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c5dbb8de8ba44105ed231ec/
>> 1556545928392-8BPIFJDH95ZKAA1NKLDU/visa+gift+card.JPG>

Some of the plastic gift cards here in New Zealand are magnetic strip
ones, but some are simply barcode scanned ones. There are also gift
cards you buy online which you simply print / show on your phone and
the cash register people scan the barcode or type in its long number.

Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>> Rob <nomail@example.com> wrote
>>> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>>>> Rob <nomail@example.com> wrote
>>>>> Carlos E. R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote
>>>>>> On 15/09/2021 09.24, nospam wrote:
>>>>>>> Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
>>>>
>>>>>>>> I still don't understand why all your bills are
>>>>>>>> exactly the same size.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> better fit in wallets.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money,
>>>>>>> then
>>>>>>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> nospam is wrong of course™.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Here, you can see them selling a state raffle run by the blind people
>>>>>> organization (ONCE), and they are alone. They take bills and coins.
>>>>>
>>>>> Yes, it may be different in the US but here in EU people with poor
>>>>> vision are considered to be full-fledged people worthy of living
>>>>> a normal life.
>>>>
>>>> They are free to do that using a card or phone.
>>>>
>>>> In theory its not that easy with vending machines,
>>>> but it makes more sense to mandate that vending
>>>> machine take cards and phones than to buggerise
>>>> around with different sized bank notes.
>>
>>> But this solution exists for much longer than cards and phones!
>>
>> Sure but the world moves on, just like it did with snail mail letters.
>>
>>> Our previous banknotes even had profiled digits
>>> and markers to the value could be recognized
>>> by visually impaired without size difference.
>>
>> Yeah, the different sized notes is a stupid approach,
>> must be very difficult for vending machines and
>> self checkout terminals.
>
> Nope.

Yep.

> They work just fine.

Only after the designer has to go to rather more trouble.

Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
>>> nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote
>>>> Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com> wrote
>>
>>>>>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money,
>>>>>> then
>>>>>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
>>>>>
>>>>> That's ableist bullshit. Disabled people are perfectly capable of
>>>>> living
>>>>> independent lives, in many ways like anyone else.
>>>>
>>>> nobody said they couldn't. the point is if they can't read the numbers
>>>> on the money, they're going to have additional problems than which bill
>>>> to use.
>>>>
>>>
>>> No, the point is there's no good reason for US bills to all be the same
>>> size.
>>
>> In fact there is a very good reason now that there
>> are much better approaches than the size of the bill.
>>
>>> All other countries can see that.
>>
>> Plenty don’t have different sized bills.
>
> Like?

https://www.casanova1948.com/meet-casanova1948/international-banknote-sizing-references-for-classic-compact-or-slim-wallets/

In article <shtn9s$7hs$1@dont-email.me>, Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com>
wrote:

>
> No, the point is there's no good reason for US bills to all be the same
> size. All other countries can see that.

there are many reasons for having bills be the same size, including
simplifying anything that accepts or dispenses cash, fits better in a
wallet, billfold or other storage and generally just easier to manage.

In article <shtpku$16tp$1@gioia.aioe.org>, Your Name
<YourName@YourISP.com> wrote:

> > Your roads must be a bit dangerous with blind people driving... ;)
>
> Not when self-driving cars finally arrive (in about 2360!)

much earlier than that.

> ... your
> kids will "drive" themselves to school, and even your pets will be able
> to "drive" to the groomer or vet clinic.

yep.

> One of the many reasons why self-driving cars are not even remotely an
> answer to traffic congestion. EVERYONE will want their own and there
> will be even more cars on the road.

other way around. there won't be a need to own a personal vehicle for
the masses anymore.

> And no, having public ones you call up is not the answer either - who
> wants to get stuck with the one the drunken idiot just vomited in or
> the one the one covered in grafitti and torn seats?

edge case, and it can drive itself to be cleaned.

On 2021-09-15 17:10:51 +0000, AJL said:

> On 9/15/2021 6:49 AM, Savageduck wrote:
>
>> My Amex Gold has been accepted at hotels in The Netherlands, UK,
>> Belgium, France, Germany, and even the Schweitzerhof, Zurich, and
>> Palace Hotel, Lucerne. None of those countries seemed to be willing
>> to refuse payment via Amex, even hotels.
>
> My Amex card isn't accepted at my wife's hair place. Or at several
> stores in Coronado CA where I vacation every year. That's why I
> also carry a Visa card. And cash in case the store's card system is
> down. A few times I've found the WHOLE system down and nothing works.
> Lots of grumbling customers walking out.

Most of the small owner-operated hairdresser shops here in New Zealand
don't accept credit cards at all (the vendor fees are too much). They
only accept bank debit cards or cash. The big chain hairdressers do
accept credit cards.

It's the same with many other small businesses. The place I go to get
replacement window handles doesn't accept credit cards either.

> One good EMP would sure bring modern civilization to its knees...

In the last few weeks here in New Zealand there has been internet
hacker problems that

1. took down an entire hospital system with a ransomware to the point
they had to close the doors for many days while they attempted to
fix it,

1. took down a company which runs many ISP and internet-based services,
which resulted in electronic wallets like Apple Pay not working for
a hour or so,

2. took down the system at big banks for at least three *days*.

There's far too much blind reliance on silly new-fangled gizmos and
gimmicks these days. :-\

On 15/09/2021 23.47, Your Name wrote:
> On 2021-09-15 17:10:55 +0000, AJL said:
>> On 9/15/2021 5:49 AM, Rob wrote:
>>>
>>> it may be different in the US but here in EU people with poor
>>> vision are considered to be full-fledged people worthy of living
>>> a normal life.
>>
>> Your roads must be a bit dangerous with blind people driving...  ;)
>
> Not when self-driving cars finally arrive (in about 2360!) ... your kids
> will "drive" themselves to school, and even your pets will be able to
> "drive" to the groomer or vet clinic.
>
> One of the many reasons why self-driving cars are not even remotely an
> answer to traffic congestion. EVERYONE will want their own and there
> will be even more cars on the road.
>
> And no, having public ones you call up is not the answer either - who
> wants to get stuck with the one the drunken idiot just vomited in or the
> one the one covered in grafitti and torn seats?

Nice country yours, if that happens.

Consider, on the other hand, that any one entering such a car is
identified properly with his credit card. Any vandalization would be
charged back to him, no problem. With videos.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

On 15/09/2021 23.43, Your Name wrote:
> On 2021-09-15 11:04:08 +0000, Carlos E. R. said:
>> On 15/09/2021 09.24, nospam wrote:
>>> In article <shs5mp$et6$1@dont-email.me>, Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I still don't understand why all your bills are
>>>> exactly the same size.
>>>
>>> better fit in wallets.
>>>
>>>> It must be nightmare for people with poor vision.
>>>
>>> if their vision is bad enough to where they can't read the money, then
>>> they likely aren't shopping alone.
>>
>> nospam is wrong of course™.
>>
>> Here, you can see them selling a state raffle run by the blind people
>> organization (ONCE), and they are alone. They take bills and coins.
>>
>> I don't remember if they take cards.
>
> In many countries the coins and notes are purposely made different
> (coins differ in size and some places shape, notes differ in size too)
> partly so blind / low vision people can tell the difference.

Notes here have machine identifiable parts, including magnetic strips.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

On 16/09/2021 00.01, nospam wrote:
> In article <shtn9s$7hs$1@dont-email.me>, Chris <ithinkiam@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>
>> No, the point is there's no good reason for US bills to all be the same
>> size. All other countries can see that.
>
> there are many reasons for having bills be the same size, including
> simplifying anything that accepts or dispenses cash, fits better in a
> wallet, billfold or other storage and generally just easier to manage.
>

A different sized bill stands out in a package, so that the error is
detected instantly by looking at the pack.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

In article <7s7a1ixi1i.ln2@minas-tirith.valinor>, Carlos E. R.
<robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

>
> A different sized bill stands out in a package, so that the error is
> detected instantly by looking at the pack.

unless it's smaller than the rest of the bills.