Comments on: Microsoft Repackages QR Codes, Calls Them Tags

By: Preeti999s

Preeti999s — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:29:01 +0000

I was just thinking about Repackages QR Codes and you’ve really helped out. Thanks!

By: john

john — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:16:08 +0000

I been using http://www.beQRious.com to generate codes, I like this site you can save the codes in a PDF format which helps me out!

By: robbarnett

robbarnett — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 03:40:10 +0000

I have to agree with Dean & Paul. Why would anyone want to use a proprietary solution that does not offer any significant benefit over its competition? The only thing it will add is more confusion to the market and make advertisers jobs more difficult trying to accommodate for different platforms.

MS will only be free until it strangles out the competition, at which point they will charge.

By: dean collins

dean collins — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:56:43 +0000

here here,

This is exactly the reason why it works in Japan.

All 5 carriers got together and agreed this is the standard, no one has to pay anyone and all of the marketers/handset vendors implemented around this common open platform.

Here in the USA you have 2 big companies trying to sue each other everytime the other makes a single statement (google The Pondering Primate Blog for a couple of great articles) and in the mean time there is no benefit to consumers.

MS Tags add no value and are proprietary so once you deploy them you are locked in to the whims of microsoft.

Dean

By: paul

paul — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:34:53 +0000

It’s sad that Microsoft it further confusing the issue by creating yet another proprietary version of 2d codes. It’s things like this that are holding us back from seeing codes becoming widely used in the U.S. QR codes are totally the way to go, but none of the commercial entities are behind them because they can’t get any revenue.

I think as marketers, ecommerce experts, and technologists, we should all push to use QR codes (like Japan has long ago discovered). That will force the mobile carriers to conform, and end useless attempts like this from companies like Microsoft.

By: dean collins

dean collins — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:41:29 +0000

no i’m a microsoft user for a lot of products (no OS religion here).

my disdain is for the MS Tags product.

it adds no value over other 2d code technologies and with the MS Tax that is going to be levied should be avoided.

it’s a shame that MS didn’t just decide to rollout a really good set of qr readers and associated analytics technologies – this would have been worth leveraging, instead they cloudy the waters with ‘yet another proprietary standard’

I think this can be the last word

cheers,
Dean

By: AccuraCast

AccuraCast — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:36:55 +0000

Of course anything can be tracked. The point, though, is that it comes as part of the package, which makes it easier for users to implement the tracking and reporting functionality.

The point of this story has been to inform marketing professionals about Microsoft Tags and what they do, NOT to sell our services, or claim a prefernce for Tags over QR. Those are merely your inferences driven by your obvious disdain for Microsoft.

By: dean collins

dean collins — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:51:57 +0000

wow you dont get it do you.

this type of reporting is basic and anyone could set this up.

it’s a shame MS haven’t implemented a real 2d code analytics functionality like http://www.TigTags.com provide.

Like i said before, there is nothing that Microsoft is offering that cant be done for free with QR codes and unless you are being paid to pimp these on behalf of Microsoft you are doing your clients a disservice recomending them to your clients.

By: AccuraCast

AccuraCast — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:02:36 +0000

Nope. Referring to scans per day type reports provided by Microsoft themselves. http://www.microsoft.com/tag/content/why/measurementAndAnalytics.aspx You can view the entire range of reporting options when you login and create your own code.

By: dean collins

dean collins — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:12:46 +0000

hmmm you mean web page analytics showing page visit numbers ….. it’s not rocket science.

feel free to call me should you need help.

cheers,
Dean

By: AccuraCast

AccuraCast — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:57:22 +0000

Tracking and accountability via the reports Microsoft provides. Not sure if QR provides the same – they probably do – but they haven’t made a big noise about them yet.

By: dean collins

dean collins — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:26:01 +0000

lol, QR codes are free forever….. now remind me exactly why i would bother using a technology I know i’m going to be hit with a MS Tax eventually for using and promoting?

(putting aside the technical inferiorities of MS Tags over QR codes).

Cheers,
Dean Collins

By: AccuraCast

AccuraCast — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:32:37 +0000

Tags are free for now, and MS says that any Tags created during the beta period will definitely remain free for the next 2 years.

So make hay while the sun shines!

By: Dean Collins

Dean Collins — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 03:49:26 +0000

Actually MS Tags do not replicate the functionality of QR codes.

MS tags only resolve a Unique ID, it then needs to go over the internet to the MS servers to actually gather any meaningful data……of course dont pay the MS Tax…then the codes wont resolve.

I dont understand why anyone would roll these out instead of QR codes that are free.

If you want a 60 second overview on qr codes check out http://www.Cognation.net/QR

Cheers,
Dean