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How to Make Your Own NRIC Barcode [Python Tutorial]

Ever wanted to create a barcode from your NRIC number? Ever wanted to build a Python program in 2 steps? By the end of this tutorial, you will have made a 2-step NRIC Barcode Generator! PS: With basic Python skills, the tutorial is fail-proof! Rationale As a human being on earth, everyone is issued a unique identification number at birth. Singapore is no exception, and we Singaporeans are labelled with a National Registration Identity Card (NRIC number) number.  Non-Singaporeans are also issued a version of NRIC number, called Foreign Identification Number (FIN). The NRIC number is king in Singapore, where it is used to apply for schools, driving tests, army enlistment, HDB residence. From young, the need to memorise these 9 characters has been instilled in us. But sometimes we may forget, or recall our NRIC number incorrectly.  This is how  whatismybarcode.blogspot.com is born! With the advent of technology, there must be a simpler and more accurate way to recall o...
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Know when a NRIC number is fake - steps to validate one

With the recent Covid-19 pandemic, the Singapore government has mandated the use of SafeEntry NRIC check-ins to facilitate contact tracing. Before entering any store/ building, everyone is required to register their NRIC number either by the NRIC card, or using the SafeEntry app. This process is called the SafeEntry NRIC check-in. Singapore is the first in the world to implement a country-wide contact tracing system, and many countries have lauded Singapore for her efficiency and quick-thinking. When the mobile app for SafeEntry NRIC check-in was launched, many countries showed interest in the SafeEntry NRIC technology. Because of its prevalent use during this period, you must be wondering... What is a Valid NRIC Number? Is S981234A a valid NRIC number?  What about T9823212Z? The NRIC is used for many purposes in Singapore. While it may seem totally random, there is a actually formula behind how each NRIC number is generated. Here's a quick recap on the algorithm!  The structu...

How to read barcodes? Find out how they really work.

Barcodes are everywhere, on the packaging of every product sold commercially in stores, on parcels for delivery, and even used for identification on membership cards. They are even used to make payments these days. What exactly is a barcode? A barcode is an image which consists of bars and spaces. This is a very popular method to store data (numerals and characters) in a machine-readable way representation.  History of Barcodes The barcode was created by Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver and patented in the US in 1951. The creation depended on Morse code that was extended to thin and thick bars.  Barcodes turned out to be monetarily successful when they were utilized to automate supermarket checkout systems, an errand for which they have gotten become almost universal. The Uniform Grocery Product Code Council had picked, in 1973, the barcode configuration created by George Laurer. Laurer's barcode, with vertical bars, printed better than the circular barcode creat...