RFID Pioneer Criticizes Industry's 'Science Project' Mentality

John Shoemaker is an RFID pioneer and evangelist, writes Computerworld in this overview piece entitled The Failure of RFID. A rather strong headline, wouldn't you agree?

After having done time at a handful of big-name RFID hardware companies, including Matrics, Symbol and Intermec, the piece reports Shoemaker has switched gears to focus on the software side of the business as president of Shipcom Wireless in Houston, an RFID and mobility software developer.

He says he was frustrated with the "science project" attitude in the RFID industry -- especially on the hardware side -- and attributes the technology's fall off the map to an atmosphere where most undertakings never get past the pilot phase to show universal value for the enterprise.

Fall off the map? Is that your sense of what's happening in RFID today?