There was a period of time that link shorteners were the thing – think Google URL Shortener (RIP like so many Google things), and bit.ly – and as I recall, QR codes were rising at that time as well. Back then, before seemingly everyone had a computer with a camera in their pocket, I wondered about the usefulness of QR codes. Since COVID especially, they’ve moved front and center and the URL shorteners seem to have moved into the background. One of the main issues with shorteners and QR codes is the possibility for directing users somewhere they didn’t intend on going. With QR codes in particular if you hold your phone up and wait to click you’ll see the domain you’re being directed to. Next time you do this, ask yourself, is this the domain I intend to go to? It’s a pretty common occurrence these days that QR codes for say parking lots have been stickered over and send users to sites they definitely didn’t want to go to (apparently called quishing).
For me, I’ve tended to use Adobe Indesign to generate QR codes. What’s great about it is that I can send users directly to where I would like, or even display plain text via QR code. But not everyone has the resources to pay Adobe bucks, which is why this link from Cory Doctorow caught my attention.
Note: there is also a “justqrcode” which is a subscription service. So watch out for that subtle difference if you’re using a search engine.
This one is definitely going in the toolbox.
4 responses to “Just a QR Code”
Not everything goes down the enshittify road. The first URL shortened, TinyURL, created in 2002 still works and is still free as is notlong.com another I remember using. Google did not even get in the game until 2009!
TinyURL was created by Kevin Gilbertson (thanks Wikipedia) in 2002 for his passion as a mountain unicycler. Apparently it was long URLs to newsgroups got broken in his email newsletter which would insert line breaks at 80 characters. The business is still his https://tinyurl.com/app/features/about-us which to me says something about Stuff That Resists Enpoopification.
Martin Weller covered QR Codes as something he was originally wrong about https://blog.edtechie.net/edtech/things-i-was-wrong-about-part-1-qr-codes/
and was on target that it’s been the integration into mobile camera apps that really made them take off. Those early special apps one had to use in say 2008 when I maybe first noticed, were clumsy to use and often failed. I remember visiting my friend Bert in Japan then who was proud to point out how often they were used in newspapers, brochures, and even on store signs.
They definitely have jumped over shortened for use in conference presentations. I had fun at OER24 taking photos of the audience where nearly all were in the “phone up for QR coding” pose. It’s definitely convenient when you want a group/class to all go to the same link.
I’ve also noted in last few years how when you buy a tool or appliance and the thin brochure will have a QR code to access the manual, like a water pump we installed a few years ago. That’s definitely better than the vain hope you filed the instructions away when you need help. If I remember correctly QR codes were created by manufacturers maybe for inventory stuff.
I previously relied on bit.ly for QR code making as it was easily done to create both a code and a short link. I wonder now about the service since I recall they are now inserting ad screens requiring a click to go to a link. Living enshittication.
Thanks for the Cory Doctorow recommended service, his stamp of approval is more than gold.
I can always count on you for web history, thank you! I didn’t know that about TinyURL, it’s heartening to see not every tool turns to crap. (also appreciate the wikipedia references instead of “crapGPT says…”)
The QR code in your appliances is something I can relate to. Another Doctorow recommendation happened to be for his Framework Laptop. I was looking for a new machine and he’d just happened to get one (maybe second one) and talked about how repairable the thing is. Every component has a QR code that goes to the ifix it videos and part for purchase you need. I loved the concept so got one myself. It took some getting used to not being on MacOSX after 15 years but I feel really good that I’ll be able to replace components myself when/if needed.
FYI Your blog theme on mobile at least iOS for the comments field has black text on black background, kind of hard to compose (writing here for copy/paste in notes app). All other fields on comment form have white background.
I went to reply to your first comment the other day and noticed the same on a laptop. After cursing the name of the inventor of the printing press, I think I’ve got a solution now! Thanks!