I guess I haven't seen enough of them in the wild to get annoyed by them? The use case seems to be to refer someone who sees a poster or other printed work to a URL, and when I've seen QRs used for that it has seemed reasonable. Are you seeing them in some other, less reasonable context?

I haven't seen a QR code that wouldn't lead to a plain online ad for a long while. Their other, "sincere" uses have diminished most likely because there are always more reasonable alternatives, such as a short and memorable brand/trade name that can be easily found online if needed. QR codes are really just an awkward way of collecting "clicks" so to say, and they require too much effort for that (take out your phone, fire up an app, scan, check results, go to the web sites, see the ad - oh really?)

At least in Dublin, Ireland you can still see them, e.g. on bus stops, sometimes on brochures here and there and as a rule the context suggests they should just lead to an ad and nothing else.

It's probably worth distinguishing between QR Codes used for advertising, vs other uses.

For example, I print QR codes on the back of my business cards containing a VCard record, to make it easier to import them into an address book if needed. Or at home, I have a QR code that automatically populates credentials for my WiFi network when guests come over. It's also the easiest way to add a TOTP code to Authy or Google Authenticator.

I like to think these are reasonable uses.

>QR codes on the back of my business cards containing a VCard record

Isn't this almost certainly done better with a link to a vcard file?

QR code can store the entire vCard, thus enabling you to read it off-line.

Is this a real concern? Someone might be on a flight without WiFi and need a digital version of your contact info because the card isn't enough?

It's very real. People nowadays increasingly use their smartphones as rolodexes. QR code is a quick way to enter contact details into one's address book. On the other hand, you can't expect everyone to have a mobile connection. Some people don't have a data plan at all, others may be saving their batteries at the moment. Often there may be no reception at the place where cards are exchanged (think of conferences that are in underground venues).

Not to mention that giving someone a business card with a link to download contact data is just wrong on many different levels. It's using a very wrong tool for the job. To put a contact file on-line you have to host it somewhere. Then the person you gave the card to has to retype the URL. URL that, like with most of the Internet, will probably be dead in six months.

Generally, the solution to the problem of digitizing the data you have physically in your hand should not involve sending packets around half of the globe.

I'm gonna guess that OCR'ing the card's data will take off far, far, before QR codes take off.

OCRing the card data is a common practice for executives and sales people. There are even dedicated scanners you can buy.

Shouldn't the uses you mentioned be covered by NFC and iBeacon in this day and age?

Getting an NFC tag inside a business card requires special effort, while QR code is just different pixels for the printer. Even if you opt for NFC stickers, it still costs lots of money (if you want to do hundreds of cards) and effort (you have to stick and program them).

iBeacon is bullshit. I sincerely hope it'll turn into something useful with time, but for now, it's just a toy for advertisers.

Also, solutions add up. In our local Hackerspace, we often used a combination of QR code, plaintext credentials and an NFC sticker for things like Wi-Fi access and switching lights on/off wirelessly.

I've seen precisely one use of QR codes that was a benefit and that's with WhatsApp's web app, you point your phone at the screen and it instantly syncs your profile to the web app, I thought that was clever.

Yup. AirDroid uses them this way to establish a LAN connection between your phone and your browser. Other interesting users: Foursquare links back before the company destroyed the product, Wi-Fi credentials, turning lights on and off with your phone.

Are QR codes still a thing? Or were they ever a thing? Dunno, my brain seems to filter them out automatically, I rarely notice them.

I just used one to board a plane. It worked well, that's no bullshit.

I think it was probably an unjustified replacement for a simple bar code in your case. I check in using bar codes usually :)

I know you're joking, but if you were told to write a ticket system today, what would you choose?

QR codes are an international standard, have plenty of good libraries to generate and process them, can store more information, have excellent error correction, and easily scan from odd angles.

Other types of bar codes... not so much.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcode#Types_of_barcodes

This seems apt: http://picturesofpeoplescanningqrcodes.tumblr.com/

Eh, I don't mind them. They serve a purpose, even if they tend to be misused.