The Last Telegram in the World

[Ben]

Will be sent from India on 14JUL. Kinda sad historically, in more ways than one. According to the article, Telegrams peaked in 1985 - not all that long ago.


http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/06/17/telegrams-no-more-stop-india-to-send-final-message-in-july/

[MechAg94]

But at least candy grams are still there to keep Mongo in check. 



Why are telegrams important to activists?

[kgbsquirrel]

Possible grammar error? Further/farther.

[Gewehr98]

Wonder if anybody in the NSA still remembers Morse Code?   

[Tallpine]

Telewoman will never become obsolete 

[Bob F.]

G'98: now you've done it! The poor bastages at NSA will go nuts trying to find Mr. Morse Code to determine if he's a terrorist!!

[zahc]

Article is blatantly wrong as a quick google will show.

http://www.belgacom.be/en/private/products-and-services/fixed-telephony/options-and-services/other-services?page=p_other_services_available#&tabnav=5

http://zkola.ru/docs/index-640396.html

http://www.telegrams.ca/

http://www.correios.com.br/voce/enviar/Telegramas.cfm

Other than that, the assertion is meaningless. An email IS a telegram. There is no distinction. Telegrams were sent using telex and 5-bit baudot codes just as soon as people invented the teleprinter. Then it became a modem. And so on and so on...there is nothing that makes a telegram a telegram. Telography just means "writing at a distance..."

[AJ Dual]

Yes. It's more of an emotive romantic connection for whatever reason.

They just need the boys with jaunty caps and the scooters to do something else. Maybe deliver Hindu vegan Domino's and Krispy Kreme doughnuts to make the Indians all fat, lazy, and unproductive like Americans.

I see nothing that prevents the Vegan Domino's delivery boy from delivering appropriate plot twists to Bollywood just as easily.

"I am being veddy sorry madam, your great uncle has being died. I saw heem with my own eyes on my way over with this deeleecious crazy-chees Naan breadsticks, a cow kicked him, and he fell in the Gangees and caught Cholera."

[Ben]

Article is blatantly wrong as a quick google will show.

http://www.belgacom.be/en/private/products-and-services/fixed-telephony/options-and-services/other-services?page=p_other_services_available#&tabnav=5

http://zkola.ru/docs/index-640396.html

http://www.telegrams.ca/

http://www.correios.com.br/voce/enviar/Telegramas.cfm

Other than that, the assertion is meaningless. An email IS a telegram. There is no distinction. Telegrams were sent using telex and 5-bit baudot codes just as soon as people invented the teleprinter. Then it became a modem. And so on and so on...there is nothing that makes a telegram a telegram. Telography just means "writing at a distance..."

Thank you Sheldon Cooper.

Stop ruining my cowboy movies. Of course it's about the romantic history of the telegraph.

[mtnbkr]

Thank you Sheldon Cooper.

Bwahahahaha 

Chris

[MikeB]

Yes. It's more of an emotive romantic connection for whatever reason.

They just need the boys with jaunty caps and the scooters to do something else. Maybe deliver Hindu vegan Domino's and Krispy Kreme doughnuts to make the Indians all fat, lazy, and unproductive like Americans.

I see nothing that prevents the Vegan Domino's delivery boy from delivering appropriate plot twists to Bollywood just as easily.

"I am being veddy sorry madam, your great uncle has being died. I saw heem with my own eyes on my way over with this deeleecious crazy-chees Naan breadsticks, a cow kicked him, and he fell in the Gangees and caught Cholera."

I've actually had Dominoes (vegan and non-vegan) delivered in India. 

I didn't catch if the delivery person was wearing the jaunty cap or not. The ground lamb pizza was actually quite good for Dominoes. The vegan pizza was ok. It was my last day there during one trip and I had offered to buy lunch for everyone and that was what the guys and gals in the office picked.

[Gewehr98]

Y'all are a wet blanket, particularly you, Sheldon Zahc Cooper!

Telegraphs were meant to be transmitted down the wires using a telegraph key.  They were received by the station operator via the telegraph sounder.

A runner then delivered the hand-written telegram from the station operator to the intended recipient.  Variations in delivery methods were plentiful - witness Mongo's Candygram.

(Blazing Saddles done Bollywood style? That would be hilarious!)

I know this because I have an original sounder.  It clacks lightning warnings now as part of a de-tuned AM radio lightning detector.  For Ben:

[Ben]

I know this because I have an original sounder.  It clacks lightning warnings now as part of a de-tuned AM radio lightning detector.  For Ben:

Nice!

[zahc]

Is Morse code the requirement, then, that makes something a telegram? When Morse code is used with CW radio, or light, is that a telegram to you? Or is the requirement that Morse code be sent down copper wires? Or is the requirement that the document be printed out and delivered by hand (in that case, if I print out an email and deliver it to you, is that telegram)?

Just wondering.

[Gewehr98]

Never mind.

You have no sense of nostalgia.

[kgbsquirrel]

Is Morse code the requirement, then, that makes something a telegram? When Morse code is used with CW radio, or light, is that a telegram to you? Or is the requirement that Morse code be sent down copper wires? Or is the requirement that the document be printed out and delivered by hand (in that case, if I print out an email and deliver it to you, is that telegram)?

Just wondering.

Morse code, transmitted by any available means, and being encoded and decoded manually by a human operator.

ETA: Addendum - And is transcribed onto a paper medium by the human operator which is then delivered directly to the intended recipient by a human courier.

[zahc]

That's a fine definition, but it's a private one. Millions of people used the word "telegram" for decades to refer to other methods of transmitting messages, but I'm glad we are on the same page at least.

[Scout26]

A runner then delivered the hand-written telegram from the station operator to the intended recipient.  Variations in delivery methods were plentiful - witness Mongo's Candygram.

Or We Were Soldiers cab drivers.

[Gewehr98]

Remind me to never discuss the intrinsic beauty of a pre-'64 Winchester Model 70 with Zahc anytime soon.