20 Dec
2005
20 Dec
'05
5:14 p.m.
For serial numbers in general, it can be handy to
track numbers for machines
which had very low production runs as a way of estimating how many machines
were made - as this information isn't often known otherwise.
This is exactly where the system falls apart - when a manufacturer skips a
block of numbers in a smaller run, it is not very obvious from looking at
a small sample distribution.
The military has played these games for years. During World War 2 there
was a small U.S. intelligence office that would analyze the datatags of
captured German and Japanese equipment, and they found that all sorts of
info could be gleaned from them - production numbers, locations,
subcontractors, etc.. They also realised that the Germans and Japanese
could do the very same thing with captured US equipment! Thus, in 1942,
there actually was a technical order sent out to deface the datatags on
equipment.
Military or corporate - the fear of spying is still around, and even
little details can give too much away.
And then there is the plain old simple reason for screwed up serial
numbers - have you ever seen the quality of people that work in
factories? How many can not actually even read? When in doubt (often),
throw away that box of numbered stickers!
William Donzelli
aw288 at osfn.org