\documentstyle[12pt]{article} \begin{document} \section{Financial Aspects} From a financial point of view, there are several things to consider about the SmartCard: \begin{itemize} \item cost of the actual cards \item cost of buying and installing card readers \item number of readers to purchase/install \item maintenance of the readers. \end{itemize} \subsection{Cost of Physical Cards} The cost is approximately \$0.10 for a magnetic stripe card vs. over \$10 for a SmartCard (this is a late 1980s figure: it should be cheaper by now). There seems to be quite a differential here, on the order of about two orders of magnitude. This is a major determining factor in switching the current system over to a SmartCard system. If the benefits of using a SmartCard do not greatly outweigh using a magnetic-stripe card, it seems it will be hard to justify switching to a SmartCard system. (This needs to be integrated with a conclusive section from the other sections) Also related to cost is the fact that card-key readers do not {\it replace} locks, but rather exist {\it in addition} to locks. So the cost of locks and etc will still exist, but there will not have to be nearly as many keys to copy, distribute and worry about having copied. At the present, locks are not changed very often, and if few people have the keys to the locks, then there will not be a need to change the locks often after the card-readers are installed. Also, though, is the Jewish issue, because they will have to have keys ..... ??? \subsection{Cost of Card Readers} The current card readers for the MIT cards are very expensive. An approximate range of the cost taken from various Tech articles and other sources follows: \begin{itemize} \item estimations of \$140,000 per house/dorm to add card-key readers and change the locks on perimeter doors, from Lawrence McGuire, director of housing and food services. \item Tech editorial staff claims an estimate of \$3,000 per lock; \$50,000 to card-key the essential entrances of the buildings on campus (e.g. Infinite Corridor, Bldg 66, Killian Court entrances) \item estimation of \$80,000 to card-key all the locks in the Media Lab, from Gerry Hornik of the Media Lab. \end{itemize} Compare these figures to: cost of a new key: \$1.75 at Economy Hardware; \$15 dollars including fine, from MIT. Cost of a new lock is less than \$20. \subsection{Purchase/Installation of locks} If card-key readers are installed, the question will be how many of the locks on a building/dorm should be card-key accessible. The locks are quite expensive so it would be better not to go lock-happy (for example putting card-key locks outside every single dorm room). However, all the outer doors of a building should be card-key accessible at the least. Dormitories are the main concern, though since MIT has such an open campus and most Institute buildings are accessible 24 hours a day, some people have said that perhaps the main buildings on campus should have card-key locks installed. In dorms, only the main entrances (or entrances to the outside) should have card-readers, for financial reasons mainly. If not all the outside entrances are card-key enabled (and not regular key accessible either), then there runs the danger of people propping open doors for convenient access, but this also allows urchins and "undesirables" easy access. If the eventual objective is to have card-key readers on every single door at MIT, but the transition will start out by just replacing the key locks on main/outside doors, then the cost issue will have to be considered in a different light. A hundred thousand dollars now,versus a hundred thousand dollars every year for the next five years is very different. \subsection{Maintenance} Because of the newness of the card readers and their lesser fault-tolerance capabilities, MIT will probably need a small staff (2-3 people) responsible solely for the maintence of the card-key locks. At the present, they are not very fault tolerant. Power outages, spilled cans of coke, and hackers are among the reasons a reader might break down. When the readers are down, people will need another way of getting into a building, and that will need to be taken care of too. In most dormitories there are deskworkers, who will still be there after the card-readers are installed (for other purposes), but after-hours, usually there is no deskworker and the only way people can get into a dorm is by using their key. If any reader breaks down before/after the desk is open, then someone will have to be there to open the door for them. For instance, at McCormick, before the readers were installed there was no way for residents to get in after 2am, and a night watchman had to sit at the desk all night to let any residents in. \section{Administrative Aspects} The administration will also have several things to consider if the option to switch to the SmartCard is followed: \begin{itemize} \item when to install the locks(now, next year, five years from now, etc) \item transition between the MIT card and the SmartCard \item dealing with lost or stolen cards \item benefits/drawbacks for the administration \end{itemize} \subsection{When to install} Considering the cost of replacing the current MIT ID cards with the SmartCard (possibly up to 100 times as much per card), it would seem wise that unless SmartCards could be shown to provide an immediate dramatic improvement over the MIT card, the administration should wait a few years for the cost of the physical card to decrease before switching the system over. Also, with the locks being so extraordinarily expensive, perhaps it might be wise to wait until the cost of individual locks decreases too. (I don't know what the cost of a mechanical key lock is, but I assume it's definitely under 20 dollars.) If security is the concern because keys are so easily copied, well, the locks on the doors can be changed more often. Changing locks could occur at least 150 times before it equaled the cost of a card-key lock. So if you change the locks once a year, it would take a hundred and fifty years before a card-reader was cost-effective. The only benefit of a card-reader, then, appears to be of a security nature. \subsection{Transition between cards} Another aspect is handling the transition between the old card and new card. Obviously, it shouldn't be the case that one day the old cards are ditched and only the new cards work. A brief period during which both work should exist. But, it is also silly to keep the old locks on the doors and install a card reader, as is being done in Burton right now, and has been going on since January. That kind of transition period is a bit on the long side. Perhaps a week during which both the old card and new card are compatible should exist, so any problems during this period can be reported and corrected before the new card becomes the sole means of access,meals,etc. \subsection{Lost cards or stolen cards} Since a major advantage of the card is increased security, replacing lost or stolen cards should be quick, with as little lag time as possible. This is especially the case if the SmartCard has many services attached to it, such as identification, meal purchases, dormitory/building access, library privileges, medical center pharmacy purchases, athletic facility access, parking, photocopying, etc. Losing your card would basically mean losing your pass to the world (of MIT). Efficient replacement with minimal loss should be possible. If the SmartCard enabled some kind of "electronic currency", then \subsection{Benefits/drawbacks for the administration} Though the administration claims that they will not enable logs on dormitory/building access, they can be enabled at any time (for instance, if intruders to dorms are still at high levels, the administration will want to keep track of comings/goings of residents for a while). This can increase security, but also enters the realm of privacy concerns. (this is probably covered more thoroughly in Dave's section). other FINANCIAL/ADMIN stuff to include -being able to use the card as 'electronic money', for instance in Lobdell or at the Med Center pharmacy. However, this would mean even more disaster if you lost your card. Perhaps having the card as electronic money, but with some other main computer keeping track of what's going on, sort of a "semi-electronic-money" card would be more acceptable, so if the card is lost, all the money is not lost. This is similar to what goes on in Lobdell right now, with the meal plan you paid for being deducted from every time you make a purchase. could possibly add a phone card to the smartcard. either with a debiting account or a charge account. then could make calls without operator assistance. SuperSmartCards, which include a keyboard and display, would cost even more, and losing your card would be like losing a personal computer. SuperSmartCards can keep track of everything from current credit card and checking account balances to phone numbers and addresses. Primary benefit is lack of a reader/writer at the point of sale. card does not flex as much as a plastic card, but can flex enough to withstand bending forces towhich itmight reasonably be exposed. enter pin before making any kind of services are allowed. \end{document}