Re: Is there any kind of valid comparison that has been done to other schemes?
I find this level of personal information access disturbing too. In my (East-European) country, you can walk into a supermarket, pick up a TV set, pay with cash, and just leave (as far as I know - didn't try to buy one lately though). If you actually want warranty as well, you're expected to walk over to a counter - of your own accord, nobody should be forcing you - where your name and address will be recorded on the warranty papers, but there will be no checks of it against anything (at least not there and then).
Biting the hand that feeds IT
