Google is honoring Samuel F. B. Morse today by turning its logo into the dots and dashes of the inventor's code. The 1840s code is pretty much a lost art, limited largely to amateur radio operators, pilots and sailors, and a few hobbyists. If you've the desire, there are plenty of Web sites willing to help you learn.
At 10 or 15 words a minute, the speed of tapping out every letter can't keep up with most modern communications. Not that code masters didn't have a few tricks to hasten the pace. They used "r" for "are" and "u" for "you" long before today's teens thought they were so original with their codified texting.
In fact, maybe we should abandon texting in favor of Sam's code. A an old telegraph operator easily beat a kid using SMS messaging a few years back.
Gary E. Haffer of MA @ May 11, 2009 12:18:22 PM
Lainie of NY @ Apr 29, 2009 15:45:54 PM
bill of WA @ Apr 28, 2009 00:29:21 AM