"It also doesn't track usage properly, so you can't tell what state you're in (tapped on or off)."
Right, why can't I use a NFC app (of which I've tried many) to read my Opal card's state - the balance and whether I've tapped on and off? Frankly, it's a damn nuisance.
NFC apps read lots of information about the card, type manufacturer number serial number etc. but nothing that's useful like one's remaining balance. Yes, they can encrypt parts of the card to protect security but there's no need to inconvenience users by not telling them their balance.
Opal is, in effect, a machine-readable only system that takes power away from users. Thus, clearly its ergonomics are unacceptable.
I've also an Opal card with a crack in it which means its internal antenna wire is broken and the card won't respond to the machine. Unfortunately, it has a credit of between $60 and $70 on it and getting that recredited has been such a pain to the extent that I'll have to dissolve the plastic and reconnect the wire. Yes, the card could have been registered but why should I have to tell the government everywhere I go?
Similarly, the Opal system discriminates against those with confession cards in that they're tracked by default and their cards have a louder beep on machines that informs everyone nearby that the person is traveling at a cheaper rate. In my opinion, that's unacceptable and discriminatory (if necessary a ticket inspector could determine that with his handheld reader).
When I was living in Vienna several decades ago there were multiple ways to buy tickets, singles, weekly, monthly and so on. One was a card strip with multiple segments on it. You'd fold over to a blank segment (a split-second operation) and insert it in a time/route stamping machine on the bus/tram or train and that stamp was valid for an hour on any transport even if you changed mid route.
One could see with just one's eyes how much credit one had left and a ticket inspector could glance at the ticket and tell in an instant whether the ticket was valid or not. Also, the route number would tell him if you'd changed your mode of transport or not (that could be useful if one's latter transport was late, which it never was—Vienna's transport system is wonderful).
The ergonomics of that old-fashioned mechanical system were excellent and it worked like a dream. Much of this modern IT tech is done just for the sake of it and for the smart to make a financial killing from the gullible. And I say that as an IT professional.
It really annoys me that more people don't complain about poorly designed IT infrastructure that's barely fit for purpose. Like frogs in heating water, unfortunately we can be cajoled into accepting anything with minimal effort.
Right, why can't I use a NFC app (of which I've tried many) to read my Opal card's state - the balance and whether I've tapped on and off? Frankly, it's a damn nuisance.
NFC apps read lots of information about the card, type manufacturer number serial number etc. but nothing that's useful like one's remaining balance. Yes, they can encrypt parts of the card to protect security but there's no need to inconvenience users by not telling them their balance.
Opal is, in effect, a machine-readable only system that takes power away from users. Thus, clearly its ergonomics are unacceptable.
I've also an Opal card with a crack in it which means its internal antenna wire is broken and the card won't respond to the machine. Unfortunately, it has a credit of between $60 and $70 on it and getting that recredited has been such a pain to the extent that I'll have to dissolve the plastic and reconnect the wire. Yes, the card could have been registered but why should I have to tell the government everywhere I go?
Similarly, the Opal system discriminates against those with confession cards in that they're tracked by default and their cards have a louder beep on machines that informs everyone nearby that the person is traveling at a cheaper rate. In my opinion, that's unacceptable and discriminatory (if necessary a ticket inspector could determine that with his handheld reader).
When I was living in Vienna several decades ago there were multiple ways to buy tickets, singles, weekly, monthly and so on. One was a card strip with multiple segments on it. You'd fold over to a blank segment (a split-second operation) and insert it in a time/route stamping machine on the bus/tram or train and that stamp was valid for an hour on any transport even if you changed mid route.
One could see with just one's eyes how much credit one had left and a ticket inspector could glance at the ticket and tell in an instant whether the ticket was valid or not. Also, the route number would tell him if you'd changed your mode of transport or not (that could be useful if one's latter transport was late, which it never was—Vienna's transport system is wonderful).
The ergonomics of that old-fashioned mechanical system were excellent and it worked like a dream. Much of this modern IT tech is done just for the sake of it and for the smart to make a financial killing from the gullible. And I say that as an IT professional.
It really annoys me that more people don't complain about poorly designed IT infrastructure that's barely fit for purpose. Like frogs in heating water, unfortunately we can be cajoled into accepting anything with minimal effort.