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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