Open Source and Smart Cards?

jortega asks: "I am looking into implementing a photo ID system using smart cards, preferably using open-source and cheap components. We currently have several systems for libraries, meal plans, identification using older ID cards, and more, yet none of these systems integrate with each other. I envision a system where a smart card can accommodate all these things in addition to things like print management, purchasing books at the bookstore, meal plans, and security. I have looked extensively on Google and other sites, and while I can find a lot on information on smart cards, I haven't been able to find much on a cheap open-source system that I can build on to accomplish this. Does the Slashdot community have any advice on what to do and where to go from here."

Comments

have you thought about this?

[Anonymous Coward]

First you need to decide what and how much information you are going to store on the card. If you are storing information on the Card itself, how secure must it be? Answer this, is the photo itself going to be stored on the card or just data which is linked to an internal database of photos?

Cheap smartcards have low amounts memory. but storing the photo + data itself might prove to be usefull as the display terminal won't need a direct connection to the central photo database. What will you do about lost, broken and hacked cards?