[dba-SQLServer] Addresses in Europe and elsewhere

Haslett, Andrew andrew.haslett at ilc.gov.au
Tue Aug 15 00:52:49 CDT 2006


>> As far as I am aware, mail will take the same time to get from one
place to another in NZ whether it has a postcode or not.

That's because Postal services, like most other organisations, are
performance driven. They have to report to some-one, be it government,
private enterprise etc, and all aim for a certain KPI.  In OZ, Australia
Post sat somewhere in the 90% range for on-time (next-day) delivery when
I was there.

I can gurantee if no-one put postcodes on their mail, this KPI would
drop signifigantly.  The more mail without postcodes, the more than
could not be read by the OCR machines, and the more that would have to
be hand-sorted => slower delivery times.

>> However, this is getting off topic.

True.  In database talk, think of postcodes as the PK -> they must have
one!



-----Original Message-----
From: dba-sqlserver-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-sqlserver-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of David
Emerson
Sent: Tuesday, 15 August 2006 1:47 PM
To: dba-sqlserver at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: Re: [dba-SQLServer] Addresses in Europe and elsewhere

Ah - that's the difference between the writers and the (automated)
readers.  As far as I am aware, mail will take the same time to get from
one place to another in NZ whether it has a postcode or not.  For the
senders there is little benefit (apart from the extra reassurance that a
post code could make it more certain that the letter will arrive near
the correct place.

However, this is getting off topic.

David

At 15/08/2006, you wrote:
>I think you'll find that postcodes are *the* primary method used in 
>automated sorting of mail.
>
>At least, they are here in OZ, and from what I can remember we used the

>NZ and UK systems as examples before we implemented an equivalent 
>system in the late 90's.
>
>The OCR readers will first look at the postcode before anything else 
>(hence the squares provided on envelopes) and then on second and 
>subsequent passes it will read street names (and suburbs if required ->

>very rare, since there is usually only one instance of a street name in

>a given postcode) and others.
>
>Of course, if the OCR can't deduce what is written on the envelope, 
>then that's when its passed on to human eyes to hand sort, who may then

>use suburbs to help sort the mail, but again postcode always took 
>precedence when I worked at the post.
>
>But this isn't restricted to just the 'presorted' business mail -> the 
>automated readers will attempt to scan all mail.
>
>Cheers,
>A
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: dba-sqlserver-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
>[mailto:dba-sqlserver-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of David 
>Emerson
>Sent: Tuesday, 15 August 2006 4:09 AM
>To: dba-sqlserver at databaseadvisors.com
>Subject: Re: [dba-SQLServer] Addresses in Europe and elsewhere
>
>Your example is correct.  Post codes are not really used in NZ unless a

>business is doing a bulk mailout - in this case they get a discount for

>having their mail sorted by post code.  Otherwise post codes are not 
>even necessary.  (NZ is so small (only 4 million people) that everyone 
>knows where everyone lives anyway :-))
>
>(By the way - just so that you don't upset the million or so people 
>that live up north - the correct spelling is Auckland)
>
>David
>
>At 15/08/2006, you wrote:
> >That's interesting! Can you supply a concrete (if fictional) example?
> >I'm guessing that you mean:
> >
> >Apt. 103, 34567 Minor Street
> >MaoriTurf
> >Awkland 34567
> >NZ
> >
> >Would that be about right?
> >
> >Due to my geographical ignorance, I'm surprised that the suburb is 
> >mentioned. Wouldn't one deduce that from the postal code?
> >
> >Thanks for the input,
> >Arthur
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message ----
> >From: David Emerson <newsgrps at dalyn.co.nz>
> >To: dba-sqlserver at databaseadvisors.com
> >Sent: Monday, August 14, 2006 1:27:18 PM
> >Subject: Re: [dba-SQLServer] Addresses in Europe and elsewhere
> >
> >Arthur,
> >
> >New Zealand is as follows
> >
> >[Suffix], [StreetNumber] [StreetName] [Suburb] [City]  [Postal Code] 
> >[Country]
> >
> >Regards
> >
> >David
> >
> >
> >
> >
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