Why are we still opening doors with keys?

Three Seasons

I would have expected by now that we'd be opening our front door with finger print devices or something similar?

What's going on?

smash

Three Seasons wrote: »

I would have expected by now that we'd be opening our front door with finger print devices or something similar?

you could spend a few grand on one if you want. But keys are just a lot cheaper!

The Backwards Man

You can lend someone your keys, you can't give them your fingers.

Guill

I open doors with my face.

john_cappa

Three Seasons wrote: »

I would have expected by now that we'd be opening our front door with finger print devices or something similar?

What's going on?

Nope that not till 2015*



* Source-Back to the future II

So that when there's a electricity cut you're not locked in or out of your gaf!

Thatnastyboy

Three Seasons wrote: »

I would have expected by now that we'd be opening our front door with finger print devices or something similar?

What's going on?

Nothing stopping you, but fingerprints are sooo 1990's,

Facial recognition is where its at now:

http://www.pioneer.ie/section/BiometricReaders

Duggy747

Because some knacker will kick in / steal your biometric device by the door or it'll just fail leaving you stuck outside, giving you time to calibrate your digital hedges and flowers while you wait for the repair android to be deployed.

Three Seasons

The Backwards Man wrote: »

You can lend someone your keys, you can't give them your fingers.

You could have them send you their finger print which was scanned on their smartphone. Then you make it accessible.

Seachmall

You leave your fingerprints on everything you touch.

You wouldn't drop dozens of keys everywhere you go and expect your house to be secure.

Three Seasons

Three Seasons wrote: »

You could have them send you their finger print which was scanned on their smartphone. Then you make it accessible.

And how would you know it was their fingerprint and not the dude who just stole their phone?

Three Seasons

[Deleted User] wrote: »

And how would you know it was their fingerprint and not the dude who just stole their phone?

Thinking......

Ok facial recognition software.

The Backwards Man

Three Seasons wrote: »

You could have them send you their finger print which was scanned on their smartphone. Then you make it accessible.

Then some psycho stalker you once trusted to feed your dog could enter your house any time they want to. You can change your locks, you can't change their fingerprints.

You haven't thought this through at all, Mr. Bond.

Three Seasons

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Then some psycho stalker you once trusted to feed your dog could enter your house any time they want to. You can change your locks, you can't change their fingerprints.

You haven't thought this through at all, Mr. Bond.

You remove their finger print from the list granted access.

minidazzler

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Then some psycho stalker you once trusted to feed your dog could enter your house any time they want to. You can change your locks, you can't change their fingerprints.

You haven't thought this through at all, Mr. Bond.

No, but you could de-authorise their fingerprints....

Three Seasons

Three Seasons wrote: »

Thinking......

Ok facial recognition software.

Do you want your house judging you when it sees your walk of shame face?

FatherLen

The Backwards Man wrote: »

You can change your locks, you can't change their fingerprints.
.

but you can change what finger prints are accepted by the lock...

Redshift

I work with this technology every day and finger print readers are no longer considered secure. Higher end stuff is finger vein technology which maps the layout of blood vessels inside your finger which is obviously harder to copy.
But for most doors a key is foolproof and does the job nicely

o1s1n

And while we're at it, why are we still using sim cards in phones?

pablohoney87

Plus theres somethin way sexier bout sliding a key in than pressing your thumb up against it

MadsL

Move to Telluride, Colorado. No-one locks their doors in that town.

MadsL

pablohoney87 wrote: »

Plus theres somethin way sexier bout sliding a key in than pressing your thumb up against it

Something something knob joke

pablohoney87

MadsL wrote: »

Something something knob joke

Knockers too

Three Seasons

Redshift wrote: »

I work with this technology every day and finger print readers are no longer considered secure. Higher end stuff is finger vein technology which maps the layout of blood vessels inside your finger which is obviously harder to copy.
But for most doors a key is foolproof and does the job nicely

Not when you lose it though, doesn't work too well then. It also has to be carried around with you everywhere.

ceegee

Fingerprinting someones car just wouldn't give the same level of satisfaction. Somebody think of the scumbags!!

The Backwards Man

Three Seasons wrote: »

You remove their finger print from the list granted access.

minidazzler wrote: »

No, but you could de-authorise their fingerprints....

But they are a psycho stalker, you don't realise that they are the one taking a dump in your laundry basket and barbecuing your budgie. Keys are much much safer.

There will be no more talk of magic door openings around here.

Redshift

Three Seasons wrote: »

Not when you lose it though, doesn't work too well then. It also has to be carried around with you everywhere.

Same could be said for your mobile phone or your wallet.

Three Seasons

Redshift wrote: »

Same could be said for your mobile phone or your wallet.

Well your phone earns its keep with it's wide array of functionality, it beats carrying a lump of metal around in your pocket with no other use than opening your door.

As for wallets, it would be good if you could pay everywhere using your phone.

gimli2112

I've tried getting into my house several times with my swipey card from work.
"Why door no open?"

bradlente

mind....chip?

kylith

ISTR the Mythbusters being able to open fingerprint locks with everything from a moulded gelatin finger to a photocopy of a fingerprint on normal paper.

Seachmall

Keys have been time-tested to demonstrate a reasonable amount of security while being sufficiently convenient.

The idea that the latest technology must be more secure than the centuries old key is fallacious. The fact that the key is still in use after centuries is testament to it's functionality.

AnonoBoy

Back in my day we used to leave our front doors open so the kids of the neighbourhood could run in and out playing in each other's houses. There was a fondness in the air, a spring in our step and the knowledge that we were always being monitored by the 257 CCTV cameras installed in everyone's home. Those non-blinking digital eyes watching.... always watching.....


..... ah nostalgia.

Pilotdude5

I don't mind being robbed of my keys or wallet.

I do mind when they try and amputate my finger.

PizzamanIRL

Ah yeah waste more money just so you don't have to spend a few seconds using a key.

kylith

Seachmall wrote: »

Keys have been time-tested to demonstrate a reasonable amount of security while being sufficiently convenient.

The idea that the latest technology must be more secure than the centuries old key is fallacious. The fact that the key is still in use after centuries is testament to it's functionality.

There are also too many points of failure on a fingerprint scanner. It can be rendered useless by a power cut or a loose connection. A key and lock are as simple a technology as you can get.

FGR

Keys are the business. What I still can't figure out is how the postman or delivery companies can deliver things to Apartment blocks that are built like fort knox with four digit codes that, although easy to use in theory, end up having to be input on keypads that require some crazy button combination prior or after.

the_syco

The Backwards Man wrote: »

You can lend someone your keys, you can't give them your fingers.

Also, keys can be replaced if stolen. Fingers not so much so, esp if they're taken off your hand with an axe.

sbsquarepants

The fingerprint thing is a terrible idea - but i can't see why we don't use central locking on our houses, press a button doors open, press another doors lock. It would be very handy i reckon!

FGR

sbsquarepants wrote: »

The fingerprint thing is a terrible idea - but i can't see why we don't use central locking on our houses, press a button doors open, press another doors lock. It would be very handy i reckon!

Climate Control, Heated Leather Seats and a fully functioning alarm too.

Celly Smunt

why re-invent the wheel?

Mr. CooL ICE

I have facial recognition set up on my phone to unlock the screen. As an experiment, a friend took a picture of my face and held the picture up to my phone's camera and it unlocked. Unless advancements are made in this regard, I'm happy to put up with my set of keys for now.

Three Seasons

pmcmahon wrote: »

why re-invent the wheel?

So you don't have to bring keys with you everywhere you go. So you can can grant access to others who may need to get in the house.

Seachmall

Three Seasons wrote: »

So you don't have to bring keys with you everywhere you go.

Are keys really so inconvenient?

So you can can grant access to others who may need to get in the house.

How would you do this?

If online that would mean someone in Russia could grant access to whoever.

If in person it would sort of defeat the purpose (as you'd already be at home).

CrazyRabbit

Three Seasons wrote: »

Thinking......

Ok facial recognition software.

And let my evil identical twin get inside my house? No thanks!!

Saying that, many regular key locks are not secure at all. Far too many can be 'bumped'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_bumping

Seachmall

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

And let my evil identical twin get inside my house? No thanks!!

Saying that, many regular key locks are not secure at all. Far too many can be 'bumped'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_bumping

No locks are completely secure but they don't need to be. They only need to deter the casual criminal.

If you want to completely secure your house the first step is to remove the windows.

B.A._Baracus

Minus kicking down a door ( :P ) I say it would be actually easier for a person to by pass your 'fingerprint' lock than the standard key-lock. Mythbusters proved how easy it was.

Lingua Franca

OP is a wimp. I kung-fu kick through mine.

Terry1985

Obviously the answer is a dna scanner which accepts a semen sample through the letterbox.

Doylers

Good question OP.Which is why I have this ordered https://lockitron.com/preorder. Opens the door when you walk up to it with your iphone. Send invites to your friends if you need to give them access. Tells you if door is opened when your away. Allows your to remote lock and unlock your door.

MarkR

Some cars use transponders that will unlock the car and allow you to drive without taking the device out of your pocket. I'd love that for my house. :-)