MS Tag is awesomeness
At it's a long, long time since I described anything MS as awesome.
If they'd open-sourced and released HCCB (Tag) license free, you'd see it all over the place by now. Looks like even now they're not gonna give it away. :-(
Information density and reliability were both through the roof.
QR-Code bugs me because it very much relies on being square, which is ofter not layout friendly. Tag was too, but could have easily been extended in a single dimension to increase the package size, for usage beyond URLs
Hard copy information automation (things like form processing, ticketing, ID badges etc) are going to be stuck with PDF417, which is relatively archaic, when HCCB should have totally taken over those usages.
Microsoft should out HCCB out for adoption, rather than just locking the unwanted child in the cupboard under the stairs.