> Does your implementation share resources, like a single 
> database?  If so a human readable record number could use a 
> db sequence starting at 1.  Those are the most human readable 
> numbers.  Or consider bar codes of the 16 bit number instead!

Yes, but I'm doing this to avoid having to do exactly that, a sequenced
number that has to be managed, and looks like a sequence.  The string needs
to appear kinda random, and since I'm doing the front end in Squeak, I don't
want to be dependent on the database, which involves a web service call due
to squeak poor support for SqlServer.

> Overall I don't see 'BGI8YR7NBJJTUOWI' being much more 
> readable then '0cc33014-4f35-6f4e-b9de-4a005a3ceb00'.  

Neither do I, but my boss does, so I'm happy to use the first 16 digits off
a base 36 UUID.

> 
> Happy coding!
> 
> Ron Teitelbaum

Thanks, appreciate the help.