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Morse Code Faster Than SMS

Posted by Zonk on from the morse-rises-from-grave-and-goes-on-killing-spree dept.

mentalflossboy writes "Engadget is reporting that Morse Code is actually faster than text messaging. According to the article, 93 year old Gordon Hill transmitted a message faster than 13 year old Brittany Devlin, despite Devlin's 'liberal use of texting slang.' And the fabulous quote they were they sending: 'Hey, girlfriend, you can text all your best pals to tell them where you are going and what you are wearing.'"

8 of 556 comments (clear)

  1. I think the US Navy stopped training by geomon · · Score: 4, Interesting

    But is Morse proficiency still required for amatuer radio licensing?

    --
    "Rocky Rococo, at your cervix!"
  2. Well... by fitten · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm a touch typist and what I think just goes to my hands. It's actually harder (and takes longer) for me to type "u" to mean "you" than it does to type "you" because I have to throw my brain into idiot mode and override my normal typing skills to get idiot-speak onto the screen.

  3. Re:Newsflash! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    No, it just makes you sound like one. :P

    Seriously, I'd rather be on a bus full of txters than people phoning.

  4. Re:Newsflash! by DustyShadow · · Score: 5, Interesting

    - Texting is better when I'm in a situation where I don't want others to know what I'm talking about.

    - Texting is better when I need to tell someone something but I don't want to have to have a full conversation with them.

    - Since I travel a lot, I love using Google text (46645) when I'm looking for something like a restaraunt in the area

    - Texting saves minutes.

  5. Dit dit dit Dah dah Dit dit dit by Guyle · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Has anyone else ever tried to tell someone that the beeping that their Nokia phone makes when they receive a text message is Morse code for SMS? I have yet to meet a single person who's known that. I swear, Morse code is a dying language that will soon go the way of languages such as Latin and Aramaic - famous, scholarly, the old guys like it, but no one else gives a crap.

    1. Re:Dit dit dit Dah dah Dit dit dit by RustNeverSleeps · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I haven't heard it for a while, but the Nokia phones used to also have a ringtone which sent morse code for "Connecting People." It amused me, because I knew that 99.99% of the people using that ring just thought it was a bunch of interesting sounding beeps.

  6. Re:I'm sold on this idea ! by jerometremblay · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You could use morse only for input, the phone can easily convert it to text and display it as a normal text message.

    It might even be a good idea.

  7. Re:Newsflash! by nate+nice · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What plan do you have? Text Messaging always costs a lot more than talking. Not to mention many plans have free weekend talking where as the text message will still cost way too much for using the exact same technology that simply has a branded name to trick consumers into paying more.

    It does however provide a nice service if in a bar and want to let someone know where you are. Then again, you could always call them first but that's not always possible for various reasons.

    --
    "If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer ..."