On Fri, 2005-01-21 at 09:50 -0800, Jim March wrote:
...
> I can just imagine hooking up a dot matrix printer to a paper cutter arm
> which in turn is linked to the final "cast ballot" button via a switch.
> People would do their final "cast ballot" by pulling down on the arm,
> slicing the paper :). KerCHUNK! Ballot cast :).
I've designed and implemented systems that do exactly that, although
using rotary cutters triggered by a beam break. You'd be surprised how
difficult it is to get the mechanical part of the system to behave.
Printers, as it turns out, generate a great deal of static electricity
that affects how the paper flows through the guides. Also, the paper
won't just drop in a predictable way. There's also a problem with the
"chaos" of how paper flutters down, think of leaves falling.
Dot matrix Jim?!? This is the 21st century! :)
-Fred-
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Received on Sat Jan 7 22:28:58 2006
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