Live snails vstryali in electronic mail

"Snail Mail" is a joke called the delivery of letters to the Post Office paper : namely, mail than e-mail works at the speed of snails. Now, with the phrase "Snail Mail" has a new meaning-enthusiasts use live snails for the delivery of electronic correspondence.

"This ulitochnaya mail (RealSnailMail) - The new British draft. Its authors, researchers from the Computer Animation Bournemouth University (NCCA), calling its work "boring" (boredomresearch), and activists from the organization Space Media Arts. About essence project later. First, the principle of action.

It all starts with a site that is short (maximum 100 characters) reports from Internet users. Filing asked to take into account that in the process of delivering letters involved the tiny mussel : "Appreciate it work and not send bad, but it will be important messages," the authors stressed RealSnailMail.

Yet they warn the sender that the letter might not get to the addressee. But few if that can happen with snails in the way : for example, meet carnivore and perehvatit message. "

In any case, with a letter arrived at the site RealSnailMail server, which is in turn wait in the slow-postman.

Now officials describe ulitochnoy mail. They live in a fish bowl, in a nursery or maybe even in the water. In general, mollyuskov- messenger for a comfortable environment in which there are two points A and B.


In both installed scanners for reading data from chip Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) that each snail is at its sink. Such chips are introduced into the skin, as originally intended for "marking" pets, and the creators of unusual mail chose these microchips because they are small, light and waterproof and work on 125-134,2 kilohertz frequencies.

When the snail with the chip is in the range of the RFID scanner (point A), its check-it is not already carries a different message. If the mussel is free, it has become a virtual party and sent to the user. "Virtual" because the entire body of the message could not be placed in the chip-only ID letter.

This is the number snail-certainly not aware of itself, as postman walks sent in paragraph B. understood that although snail and Donlon in the technological wasteland "(definition sponsors), sooner or later it will reach a scanner at the point B, and then mail server RealSnailMail be good at sending a message recipient. Indeed, that was all.

Oh yes. Just remember to tell about the message. The authors' ulitochnoy mail saying that they "physical and biological interrupt the flow of continuous digital transmission", so users are accustomed to the e-mail.

This is the era of inanimate Internet, and developers RealSnailMail hope that the short break will help us better understand the characteristics of modern communications, think that they are instant and virtually invisible. And that in the face of increasing the speed and efficiency of investing in the messages less sense.

In turn, "ulitochnaya mail, the low rate of opposing artificial world RFID technology and the Internet natural world, could in theory make a difference in respect to the communication. , Or may not? This, among other things, identify and meet the creators RealSnailMail.

E-bankrupt fleeing boycott of e-flux

"Want to e-bankrupt? Please let me know! We e-obankrotim you as quickly as possible and qualitatively. e-file application for bankruptcy right now, get 10% of discount! A friend of lead-all 20! " This ridiculous ads may soon zapestryat every street walls and pillars : the case must be profitable.

About a month ago, a New York businessman Fred Wilson (Fred Wilson) with unprecedented pride and joy stated that he is bankrupt. And not usual, a special-bankrupt XXI century.

The idea of such a step, a simple one : Fred is an active user of the Internet and its many services, including, of course, e-mail. But, no, of course not, because Mr. Wilson is a bankrupt e-mail. How? Easy!

"I have so much behind their e-mails that declare bankruptcy," Fred wrote in his blog. Simply put, refused to respond to all the letters that have come to his electronic mailbox.

At first glance, nothing special in this action, not even eccentric to be called. But this public "antipochtovy gesture" is not really a rarity.

For example, musician Moby created something similar back in September, sending in response to all incoming letters reported that the remainder of the year have almost no. Same periodically and make some professors, suddenly abandon their elektroyaschikov necessarily declaring his decision publicly.

Of course, scholars and musicians is essentially a very delicate and fragile souls, and they can allow some beating. But it was not in particular personality.

Indeed, analysts say Permessa corporations, postal traffic in the past two years doubled (interesting that the "double in two years' suspiciously recalls Moore's Law). It is not because all were crappy business, but because of the spam messages from viruses and other unwanted Web creations. Read all the same messages are sometimes just impossible. In short, e-mail was one of the benefits of technology, which has become "too much".

This state of affairs generally, it is extremely regrettable. So some or even drop out of their e-mail, or plyunuv all unopened letters stroke remove them and come to the box from scratch. "

David Ferris (David Ferris), the head of the firm Ferris Research, said that in 2006 the total global number of emails were six trillion pieces. A waiver David explained very simply. He said that by the end of the working day people feel pleased that the case made; But heaps left unanswered letters do not have the feeling. It can be e-your threat.

This is how many and had to resort to old media-type phone. "Since then I went back to the voice communication as a primary means of communicating with people," the statement made by CEO Teqlo Jeff Nolan (Jeff Nolan), which joined the boycott decided to undergo electronic mail. Or, as in "e-mail bankruptcy."

The term "bankruptcy electronic mail (e-mail bankruptcy) put into circulation professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sherri Terkl (Sherry Turkle).

Certainly, it was among the fatigued "Soap" and even made a discovery that so many people dream Mail reset its heavy burden. And it happened this inspiration after she accumulated 2.5 nechitannyh thousands of letters. Incidentally, the scholar will soon issue a book. Work on it has been for ten years, but, according to Mrs. Terkl, "if it did not interfere with e-mail, it would have been sufficient and five.

"So I can be reached, but e-mail is not the best way to do this", in the opinion of another e-bankrupt Sean Bonner (Sean Bonner), a network news blogs.

Professor, Stanford University (Stanford University), Lawrence Lessig (Lawrence Lessig), in 2004, also joined the ranks of E-obankrochennyh. Then he said that the choice before them : "Either that all the time, responding to e-mails or to work." As it is, after all, prefer easy-guess.

"Excuse me, but I am announcing my e-mail bankruptcy," a letter containing these words, he was sent to all those who could not answer. And he apologized for his "lack kibervezhlivost." What courteous!

A best-known and long-time e-bankrupt is not you believe! another famous Stanford special-Donald Knuth (Donald E. Knuth), which has made an enormous contribution to programming, mathematics, the theory of algorithms and other hard sciences.

One option he has been using e-mail sales in 1975 - m, but after 15 years decided to end this affair. Knut said that it's much better to write a book than to suffer from the continuous flow of communications (this was it - we add the grounds of democracy).

Moreover, the scientist recalls that when he needed three hours to review emails before they can begin work (today it is a normal practice). This is the time when about spam is usually thought, perhaps opening the refrigerator!

"But from January 1, 1990, I decided to become happy," said Knuth, hinting at his e boycott. Yes, certainly if Knuth says, it is something that is ...

Here are just not clear whether any particular prospects of e-bankruptcy, and whether it could, for instance, a new kind of subculture. Will e-obankrochennye in Knight collected on Bald Mountain for zaklaniya prints pending letters and ritual cleansing inbox, we know. Although all can be.