Mementos as Document Retrieval Keys

Dekaner writes "The BBC is running a story that BT has demonstrated a scanner that can be used to retrieve digital documents by associating them with a physical object. When the digital files are stored on the server, they are associated with a scanned image of the object, for example a seashell. Later, when the user wants to retrieve the files, the memento is again placed on the scanner. The resulting image is used as the retrieval key."

The bane of the photocopier...

[Winterblink]

I can see a lot of people using their asses as the "memento"...

Ah, modern tech!

[orangesquid]

Turning the paperless office into a huge junk bin!

"Mike, do you have the financial data for 2002?"

"Somewhere. Help me look for the squeaky red clown nose."

Mmm...

[Anonymous Coward]

...Mentos. The Freshmaker.

I am thinking

[einhverfr]

Was the Marketing Plan associated with one of these seashells or one of these pebbles? Or maybe it was my coffee cup?

Patents...

[silentbozo]

If they try to patent this idea, I'm citing Johnny Mnemonic [imdb.com] as prior art!!!

Keys

[cybermace5]

Guess you could have actual keys for database access. Then you can put all the keys on a keyring...

This is more stupid than anything else I've heard this week.

This is just too easy

[Anonymous Coward]

Please put penis on scanner to locate pr0n

well

[kingofnopants]

If ten years ago someone told me that in the year 2003 i would be using a seashell to retrieve data i would tell that person that he is fscking stupid.

Doh..

[NanoGator]

... Uh dear.. well.. uh I need you to sit on the scanner... Please, don't ask.

Coming Up Next

[MimsyBoro]

Next your not going to scan a picture of the object but actually drag the object to a special platform. "Mom where's my M16, I want to play American Army

Re:Patents...

[quantaman]

If they try to patent this idea, I'm citing Johnny Mnemonic as prior art!!!

Hmmm, not sure if I'd call that art.

Dear Leonard

[Letter]

Dear Leonard,

Use the Memento pattern when

• a snapshot of an object's state must be saved so that it can be restored to that state later.
• a direct interface to obtaining the state would expose implementation details and break the object's encapsulation.

Sincerely,
Letter

Mementos?

[Anonymous Coward]

I have this condition, I don't know if I've told you about it... ...I have, haven't I?

Re:The bane of the photocopier...

[quantaman]

Just make sure it isn't somethnig you'll have to call up in the middle of a presentation, could take a lot of explaining...

Strange Imagery

[ScumSucker]

I first read the headline as:

Mentos as Document Retrieval Keys

which quickly brought to mind an image of people trying to stick them into various ports on thier PCs. This could create and a whole new industry dedicated to cleaning floppy drives.

Let's see now

[AndroidCat]

When I lose an important memento, I don't have to worry because I kept all the serial number and insurance info in a file which... DAMN!

Re:Doh..

[stevejsmith]

Must've gotten her drunk when you entered the password.

Great...

[Rorschach1]

So now I can lose all of my electronic files along with the physical ones in the piles of junk on my desk...

Re:Uh...

[Meowing]

If you stick a crystal on the scanner, a hologram of Marlon Brando will appear and tell you the secrets of the universe.

amazing!

[Anonymous Coward]

This is a fascinating idea.

Maybe someday, a picture of the item could actually just be placed on the screen, without having to scan a real object. And when you want to get your file, you just point your finger at the picture.

This "iconic representation" could even be moved around the computer screen like you'd organize something on your desktop.

I know, you're laughing.. how can my Wang 80-column green screen actually someday show a PHOTOGRAPHIC QUALITY PICTURE?

Well don't laugh. Someday soon, we'll be able to see pictures on our computer screens, at 100x100 dot resolutions or even higher! Some advanced models may even show different shades of green for each pixel.

I hope that bright young man Steve Wozniak comes up with something! As soon as he stops hanging around that troublemaker Steve Jobs, all he wants to do is eat fruit and masturbate to Picasso paintings.

Slashdot is the best timesharing system EVER!

For my documents, I will use a printed sheet...

[Blaede]

...of the file as my memento. To make the association more secure, each page will have it's own memento, consisting of the page printed out. That way when I need to retrieve the file on the computer to print out, all I have to do is scan each page, open the file, and print.

This technology has promise.

Just be careful what you choose for a key

[Anonymous Coward]

Whoops!--dropped the seashell!

Looks like Grandma's estate is going to probate.....

The fresh maker?

[Da w00t]

Did anyone else misparse the article title and summary as Mentos [mentos.com]?

I was visualizing someone putting a strawberry Mento on the scanner, and pulling up whatever.

Then I began to think -- well jesus, all the mentos look the same, how freaking secure is that? And, just what the hell do you do if you *eat* that mento? Your data is unretrievable!