blarson%castor.usc.edu@USC-OBERON.ARPA.UUCP (01/04/87)
In article <8612240416.AA04419@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> wales@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU (Rich Wales) writes: > >I have some observations and questions regarding the "bar codes" which >the U.S. Postal Service has been using for a while on mail. The post office is not secritive about such matters, espessially if they think you will be using them in large quantity mailings. I've seen a brochure on where to position the address, stamp, etc. (including bar code) picked up at the post office. When USC made an inquiry about converting to 9-digit zips, they not only gave us information, but had a couple of people come out and help us evaluate what would be involved in the conversion. The database is free, on 9-track tapes. (If I remember correctly, something like 25 6250 bpi tapes -- several hundred megabytes of data if packed, a couple of gigabytes if left in their fixed length format with some unused bits.) The program to access the database is non-trivial, unless your input data is standarized (2nd St. vs Second Street, etc.) and perfect. Once you have a good program, it can even be used to test the plausiblity of an address: i.e. there is no 1200 block of Ridge Way in Medford, OR. They also offer regional tapes and will convert small mailing lists free. $.005/peice is the extra discount for using 9-digit zip or carrier route sorting rather than 5-digit zip sorting. -- Bob Larson Arpa: Blarson@Usc-Eclb.Arpa Uucp: (several backbone sites)!sdcrdcf!usc-oberon!castor.usc.edu!blarson seismo!cit-vax!usc-oberon!castor.usc.edu!blarson