Ok, this is in the family of the other discussions of SR4 being too much like surviving IN the spotlight, vs. SR3's avoiding the spotligt.

Basically it sounds like it is accepted that turning of your commlink in some areas of high security is a bad idea. Sec folk like knowing, at-a-glance, who you are.

However, most runners buying new stuff or even stealing stuff, go home and put it under ye olde Tag Eraser to get rid of any and all chips that might leave a trail at some later date.

But in doing so, are they actually raising a flag for a clever sec-boy to discover? - If it is a felony to own a tag eraser, EVERYBODY else is wearing a sign on each and every single piece of clothing they wear. If nothing else, broadcasting the brand name and where to get your own.

Ye typical runner will not be doing this, even if his commlink is compliantly broadcasting his fake-SIN, his cool new sneaks will likely be very silent as he plans to slide into an alley and break into a backroom where he will turn off his commlink and go invisible from a scanner point of view.

So, if you enter a high security area, will it be reasonable if the guards ask why you have turned off the tags in your shoes? - Because, thats kinda impossible for a law-abiding citizen to do...

THE SHOES!!!!

If you're playing a highly technical game, yeah that's reasonable.

I think buying things off the black market would mean that whoever stole them would re-tag the merchandise with a fake one. then jack up the price for the service.

You know, the subject just made me picture some Homeless guy, walking around in bare feet, screaming that at random passer-bys.

Thank you for giving me some more flavour!

I seem to recall the books stating that everything can be purchased without tags, possibly as a special order, and more-than-likely at a premium price.

... or you can just stick 'em in the microwave on 'low' for a few seconds.

My point being that if things actually can be legally purchased without tags, then the absence of tags itself will not necessarily be a cause of alarm or concern.

True, you can get them without tags, but why would you, unless you were up to some trouble.
Are you a troublemaker, citizen?

My solution would just be to re-tag everything. RFID tags are a few nuyen for a hundred. erase all tags, then replace them with begin forgeries that you are able to activate or deactivate or change the information on at will.

Maybe you're like me. When I look my licence plate and see the website for my state... I went out and got a license plate holder that covered up the site. My fees for my DOT were not reduced, so why should I be free advertising for them?

Finally, why would you want RFID tags in your shoes? What purpose does it serve?

By default, RFIDS are in everything. They tell the serial number of the shoe, where you can get your own pair, warrenty information. Proper care and cleaning, and also help you find them if scattered in a pile of shoes. RFIDs cost about a dime a dozen (literally) so companies normally stuff them in everything. Its good business!

On the downside, they can be used to track and identify you, and are a big stealth liability if someone is scanning for wireless nodes while you are trying to hide.

Yes, this is also what we have agreed is the correct way to handle and counter this liability. Normally it takes a Computer+<skill> to change the information, but one of the informations is how often it broadcasts.

So, once "cracked" we have decided that you can then send a signal telling the chip to go into "near-dormant" mode and only pulse annually.

What you have then, is a batchfile in your commlink for all the various chips you own, and then flick it on or off when doing illegal biz. You might even have several sets of information depending on your cover I suppose.

We have dispensed with the test to reprogram them, after the first have been done, since you are now effectively admin on them.

And yes, I had the Homeless guy on my mind too when I wrote OP.

"IT'S NOT JUST THE SHOES!!! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE" Rips off shirt and goes running into the night!


ermm... couldn't help it.

Easier to find lost - or stolen - stuff if it's tagged. I could imagine quite a few people going for that.

I wouldn't say its a crime to de-activate any kine chip tag in your clothes. I am sure there are a lot of high profile people who turn their clothes tags off just so other people won't be able to emulate their look as easily. It might be seen as pompous or cocksure to turn off your clothing chips, especially if they are of a cheaper manufacture, but I can't conceive of a world where it would be seriously illegal to tear the tag off of your own mattress.

Please note, I'm not trying to pick holes in spelling and typing and such, I'm just fascinated by neologisms that can develop from mistyping...

Can I ask whether this was an intentional use of the word "kine", or if it was a typo of (a contraction of) "kind of"? Because "kine chip" or "kine tag" would be a splendid derogatory term for such RFIDs. The marketeers identifying their "herd".

or just hack the existing ones...

hell, i can see kids doing that for fun, to both their own and others.

as in, change their own so that the tags appear more expensive then they are. and alter those of others to offensive slogans or cheap stuff. and we think growing up today is bad...

something tells me that a downtown area would be a really nasty experience if you set your link to display all tags within range...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da_kine

Short reference to Kine without Da too. Incredible what you can learn by hanging around these boards.

Dunno if he meant this or if we are just rationalising a typo.

I was thinking more of the 2nd (and the derived 6th) from this list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kine. And yes, we may be rationalising a typo, but sometimes serendipity can coin effective usages.

I am definitly going to borrow this one. love it!