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Comment by rsync | Hacker News Reader

"As the other replies allude to, the USA is extremely slow to adopt "new" things like chip&pin, and so in many, many places they still use swipe."

Well, we're relatively slow.

That is to say, after inventing credit cards we now have a lull in innovation and feature adoption.

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Most of the time, the sentiment of non-US people is "What have you done for me lately?"

I catch myself falling into that trap.

At least we use credit cards at all. I was surprised to learn recently that buying things in Japan in still a largely cash-based experience. It's lead to some weird consequences, like a ridiculously high number of vending machines per capita (1 for every 23 people).

Germany, too. I've only been to 38 countries and in very few has even magstripe transactions been common. (But that may be the fault of the countries I choose to travel in.)

But since most internet commenters never go anywhere, they buy into the "US is old and backwards and dumb" cliche that makes them feel superior to everyone else.

> But since most internet commenters never go anywhere, they buy into the "US is old and backwards and dumb" cliche that makes them feel superior to everyone else.

Because I am the OP of this comment chain, I feel that is directed at me.

For reference, this is me - http://theroadchoseme.com

I like to think I have been a few places, lived a few lives.

Yeah, germany insists on eurocard, so often transactions for folks without one, you end up having to use cash. Really weird since credit cards are accepted most places on the continent EXCEPT germany.

Most large vendors will support it now, just small retailers don't. And then they complain that big companies push them out of business..

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