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Story about Basic Card

BASICCARD

BasicCard is Zeit Control's flagship product. What is so great about it? Read whole story below and don't let name fool you. It is not card with basic capabilities but rather very advanced card with BASIC as operation system!

Learn about advantages and benefits you will enjoy by selecting BasicCard for your smart card projects!

WOLFGANG SALGE'S LIFETIME INVENTION - THE BASIC CARD

BasicCard was invented and patented in 1996. by Mr. Wolfgang Salge. He came out with perfect idea to create revolutionary type of the smart card with BASIC programming language interpreter built into the card saving precious EEPROM memory space for program and data. If you remember BASIC at all that was one of the first computer languages from 1960's that wasn't so so complicated that you had to have degree in programming to make few useful lines of the computer code. Sixties were times of Algol, Fortran and similar forgotten dinosaurs software languages.

BASIC was chosen by Mr. Salge for it's small size, simplicity and hidden power that enabled implementation in smart cards world where every bit and byte counts. Mr. Salge perfected it and built software tools and range of ZC (Zeit Control) BasicCards. At that time, ZC cards not only beat every other smart card on the market by pure cost factor (cost was several times less than closest competition) but also suddenly empowered simple user to make his own working smart card application in short time. This innovative approach didn't go unnoticed and at one of the computer shows Mr. Salge was approached by mighty Microsoft. They wanted to buy Zeit Control outright with all the know-how and use it in the "Smart Card for Windows" project. We might add, hopefully for the World Microsoft didn't succeed and we still have Mr. Salge as a CEO and owner of the Zeit Control providing this great invention to anyone worldwide.

Mr. Wolfgang Salge was born in Minden near Hannover in 1961. He finished his schools and established Zeit Control company. He is still in Minden, very pleasant, down to earth, dynamic person. Traveling a lot and eager to share his knowledge and views on the world of smart cards. He earned his place in Hall of Fame of important smart card inventors. See BasicCard story in the book "Der Smart Card Workshop 1991-2006" on page 170-171 written by the Institute Sichere Informations Technologie, Darmstadt, Germany. Every important person and invention which contributed to smart card world that we have today is listed there. Starts with Mr. Jurgen Detlhoff who patented first smart card in 1968.

BasicCard is still leading many other smart cards available today in it's low price, availability, short time to project release, easy programming, advanced software capabilities. BasicCard capabilities didn't diminish over the years and countless releases of competitive smart cards. BasicCard actually got enhanced and price wise it is still a smart card that you can buy easily for the pocket change. 1.98 USD for one single card is not surpassed by any other true microprocessor smart card on the market today! We are happy to be distributors for such a great product! All our smart card software projects rely on the BasicCard. Mr. Wolfgang Salge sure deserves much more than 1/2 page space here but let's move on to present you with Basic card advantages that you should enjoy today and in years to come. Also see another important milestone achieved on our Health Card page.

THE PROBLEMS

Before going any further consider following facts. Do you know what are the 5 most important reasons why smart cards are not implemented faster (or project fails all together)?
1. Software development takes way too long! When we say long, we mean 6 month minimum and most likely 1 year before you have working card (software). When you hear numbers like that it will kill most of the projects before you even start them. Imagine gym owner who wants smart card solution and you tell him: "Sure we can do it, see you in 8 - 12 months".
2. Software development needs real expert programmers and resources to do it! Nothing more to add here. It's scary enough.
3. Software development is too expensive! This is obvious result of facts above. Don't believe us? Call any company involved in smart cards application development and ask for time frame and money figures. Have a glass of cold water ready and as remedy have 905-785-0855 (our phone) on your speed dial.
4. Small and simple projects will never ever get done! Again, direct result of above 3 facts. Nobody will get involved with small projects because it takes way too long and final result is way too expensive for smaller companies or individuals to bear.
5. Cards are simply too expensive! Now we are talking about pure hardware. Few tens of cards will not break anybodies budget, but when you go into hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands or millions suddenly every cent counts. 1000 cards project will cost 6000 - 10000 dollars, 100,000 card projects will cost 500,000 for cards only!
6. Your lifetime project might be hi jacked! Your little project, depending on your marketing skills and other factors, might easily grow huge involving millions of cards. Nobody will be happier than you when that happens! We mean, that was your dream from beginning. Every dream has an nightmare and success like that will sure attract the sharks. Sharks in this case or big smart card companies who will easily undercut their regular prices and sell their cards directly to your customers for less. You are quickly gone from that picture.

THE SOLUTION

This is not to say that smart card development is child's play but it is not brain surgery either! We obviously have nice workable solution to offer and that is BasicCard by Zeit Control. To get results it is assumed that you have knowledge of BASIC or you are willing to learn BASIC. You don't have to run to Amazon.com to search for books about BASIC. Book with complete BASIC is included in kit already!

BasicCard will cut development time from months and weeks into hours. Based on BASIC, very simple computer programming language, it will enable self learners and not so proficient programmers to get almost instant results and gratification. BasicCard itself will cut your card costs to half or one third of the costs you would normally have to pay for cards adequate for Java and other scripts. Start today by buying BasicCard development Kit. 75 dollars may be best investment you ever made! Read more >>

MAIN REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BASICCARD FOR YOUR PROJECTS

Ease of Use:
With the BasicCard Development Kit, any programmer proficient in BASIC will be programming a smart card in one day, even without prior smart card experience.

Great Pricing:
A BasicCard smart card with 2 Kb EEPROM costs 2.11 USD each in pieces.

Time to Market:
No other smart card is faster to get to the market, period! While others are working with outdated emulators and worrying about EEPROM, you will be demonstrating real products to your newest customers.

Small Orders:
Many smart card projects start small. So even if your customer's first order is only about 50 or 100 BasicCards, you can count on us to fill it without problems. Your order can be as small as 5 cards!

You're In Control:
No more worries that your supplier might become your toughest competitor. With the BasicCard, you're in control - there are no proprietary "black-boxes". You programmed it yourself, it's your application, your customer, and with BasicCard you're in control.

Flexibility:
BasicCard offers virtually limitless opportunities. You can use it for the most smart card applications like: an E-Purse, Identification Card, Medical Card, Internet Security, Drivers License Network Access, Software Key, Access Control, Gift and Loyalty programs - you decide.

Security:
For many smart card applications security is the main concern, & with BasicCard you offer the best. Of course we support standards like DES, TripleDES and AES, but now for unsurpassed security, you have the option of our 1024-bit-RSA or 167-bit Elliptic Curve Cryptography.

How it Works
The BasicCard Toolkit includes everything you need to get started. Install the software and smart card reader/writer and you are ready to start.
Follow our examples or write your own application. When you are done, use the BasicCard compiler to convert your application to P-Code and load it to the EEPROM of your BasicCard. You have just programmed your first smart card. It is that simple!

BasicCard -Toolkit
This package includes all the software you'll need to start programming yourself. You will also get a PC/SC compatible smart card reader/writer CyberMouse®, a small balance reader, an Enhanced BasicCard ZC3.7 (2 Kb E²Prom), and two Enhanced BasicCard ZC3.9 (8 Kb E²Prom). The Windows® software package contains a fully functional symbolic double debugger to step through the source code from the BasicCard and the PC simultaneously. The BasicCard Toolkit also includes an API for 32 bit Windows® either as API for programming using C/C++ or as OCX for programming using Microsoft® Visual Basic®

Why is BASIC the Smart Choice?
BASIC was originally developed when computers had no resources. That is exactly the same problem what we have today with smart cards. So programmers needed a language suited to the limited computing resources - and here BASIC fits perfectly. When you also take into account the limitations of smart card microprocessors, BASIC becomes the smart choice. Sure, there are fancier programming languages, but when you are trying to program a smart card, anything else is just show business.

In the end, the most important difference between a BasicCard® and a Java® or MultOS®card is not the programming language - it´s the PRICE.

Formula here is simple: the bigger the smart card chip, the higher the price. Java® and MultOS® are resource-hungry, to run a simple application they need expensive smart card chips (i.e. 1 Kb RAM, 64 Kb ROM and 32 Kb E²Prom). Using the Enhanced BasicCard (256 bytes RAM, 17 Kb ROM and 8 Kb E²Prom) costs 1/3 of price.

Real life example

Writers of the book "Smart Cards - The Developers Tool Kit", Chapter 5 , pages 127-181 went to program 4 different types of cards with same kind of sample application. They didn't care about cost of the cards at that point but just which operation system will need least amount of work and card memory space for same functionality. Still we can't not to emphasize that in smart card world memory space is scarce and expensive. Following chart tells you a story clearly enough:

• Multos Card 4.0    - 4591 bytes
• Java Card 2.1.2      - 6802 bytes
• Windows Card 1.0     - 1753 bytes
• Basic Card 3.1     - 260 bytes

Here's How to Get Started:

1. Click on the Free Download link below.

2. Select the ORDER HERE> option to purchase the complete BasicCard Toolkit for 109.90 USD. This will include a Developer Software Package for Windows® on CD-ROM, a technical manual in printed form, a CyberMouse® smart card reader/writer, a small balance reader and of course some programmable BasicCards.

3. Don't wait. Start today! After you have ordered your BasicCard Toolkit, install the BasicCard Software Tools. Take a moment to review the manual and then start working with the programming tools. Review some of our examples and try writing an application yourself. Test your code using the Double Debugger and when your complete BasicCard Toolkit arrives, you will be ready to install the CyberMouse® smart card reader/writer and load your first BasicCard application.

All prices in USD!