[Infowarrior] - Security Lessons From Toilet Paper

[Richard Forno]

Note the bit after the cut below....like with many security controls,
there's always the "convenience factor" built in for emergencies or operator
convenience.....which can potentially undermine the very solutions the
product is designed for, not to mention introducing vulnerabilities or
significant points-of-failure for the overall system.

Anyone else think this *might* be cost-saving for business, but *is* a
really bad idea in general???

-rf


http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070711/auto_toilet_paper.html

Automatic Toilet Tissue Dispenser Ready
Wednesday July 11, 12:50 am ET
By Greg Bluestein, Associated Press Writer

ROSWELL, Ga. (AP) -- Richard Thorne grins as he waves his hand under a
toilet paper dispenser in a women's restroom. The machine spits five sheets
of tissue into his grasp.

A year in the works, the electronic tissue dispenser is being rolled out to
the masses by Kimberly-Clark Professional as it seeks to capture more of the
$1 billion away-from-home toilet paper market. The company believes most
people will be satisfied with five sheets -- and use 20 percent less toilet
paper.

"Most people will take the amount given," says Thorne. Waxing philosophical,
he adds, "People generally in life will take what you give them."

Kimberly-Clark turned to focus groups and years of internal research to
determine just how much is right.

Americans typically use twice as much toilet paper as Europeans -- as much
as an arm's length each pull, Thorne says. The company decided the best
length is about 20 inches -- or precisely five standard toilet paper
squares, though the machine can also be adjusted to churn out 16 inches or
24 inches, depending on the demand.

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The machine isn't completely automated. Each also comes with a suite of
"security" features in case the machine malfunctions.

There's an emergency feed button, and a manual feed roller lets the users
pull the roll around if the motor breaks down or the four D-size batteries
run out. There's also an option for a "rescue roll" on one side of the
machine just in case the old-fashioned way is preferred.