Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site charm.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!mhuxj!mhuxi!charm!mam From: mam@charm.UUCP (Matthew Marcus) Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Re: More on (sigh) flashing high beams Message-ID: <278@charm.UUCP> Date: Mon, 19-Mar-84 12:53:20 EST Article-I.D.: charm.278 Posted: Mon Mar 19 12:53:20 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 20-Mar-84 05:55:20 EST References: <1088@sdchema.UUCP> Organization: Physics Research - AT&T Bell Labs MH Lines: 13 The basic problem with the whole discussion of flashing beams is that you can only transmit 1 bit of information per flash. All the "codes" proposed on the net are "instant" in the sense that they do not take into account a pattern of flashes, as Morse does. This is for the good reason that it would take too long to send a code group, and besides, how would everyone learn the code. What it all boils down to is that a flashing light is an interrupt -- it says that the sender wants to tell you something. It is up to the reciever to figure out, using context, what that something is. That being the case, the whole discussion of the many subtle shades of meaning truckers are supposed to be able to put into their flashing ( :-) ) is sorta pointless. {BTL}!charm!mam