] The very technology that revolutionized retail checkout -
] the bar code - is now being subverted by anti-capitalist
] protesters who fancy themselves cyberpranksters.
]
] The activists drew the ire of Wal-Mart Inc., the world's
] largest retailer, with a Web site that encouraged people
] to "name their own prices" by offering hundreds of
] substitute bar codes.
]
] Wal-Mart considered the ploy an incitement to theft and
] sent a cease-and-desist letter dated April 2 to one of
] the companies that was hosting the Web site, Re-code.com.
]
] Re-code.com's operators responded by disabling the link
] on their Web site that allowed users to print sheets with
] a selection of bar code labels that could be slapped on
] store items.