After Week 9 of INTRICT

Direct Reading Electronic (DRE) or Optical Mark Readers (OMR)...

In INTRICT class, we discussed which machine between the DRE and the OMR is the suitable one for electronic voting. Of course it involves data capture, and in turn, there are factors to consider in choosing the best one for efficient and effective data capture and these are:

• reliability
• accuracy and correctness
• speed of data capture
• completeness
• the "WOW, I LIKE IT!" factor (user-friendliness), and;
• other factors depending on the environment in which the device will be used like: environmental applicability, disability considerations, cost and life of device, and hygiene in use

If I were to choose which of the two should be implemented and chosen for electronic voting, I would go for OMR. Why? First, DRE usage will pave way for hygiene problems since it is a touch-screen machine. Imagine the germs and bacteria that can pile up in the DRE screen from the 1st voter to the last voter (EEW!). Second, DRE is has the lesser quality of durability. Imagine when one voter gets mad and suddenly punches the screen, the DRE machine will then get destroyed And third, OMR can scan lots of votes in such a short time span. The DRE may seem easier to use but imagine that one voter can take and consume much time in the voting process. It's a fact that we cannot wait for more than 3 months or so for a new president, senator, or whosoever is elected.

Also, we should always remember that input and output always go together... After all, how can you have an output if there wasn't any input? And also, how will you know what you did in your input if there isn't any output? Simple logic and philosophy. Input captures data while output present possible and needed information to make choice of what data is to be captured.

Had the Makro Makati Field Trip by the way... Whatever happened. It was tiring. And there were occurences wherein we cannot hear what the lady was explaining and telling to us about a particular area in Makro. Sheesh.

Got to rest now, 00:25... DLSU vs. UP later @ ULTRA, 14:00. God bless.

My mind is still... Blargh.