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NSF Research Reveals Chain Letter Travel Patterns

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the turn-off-the-paved-road dept.

alphadogg writes to tell us that the NSF is researching chain letters and how they travel. The results aren't quite what one might expect, showing a pattern of more selective and circuitous travel. "One surprising finding was that messages often took meandering routes between people who knew each other, often through as many as 100 intermediaries. Many email users also received copies from multiple social groups. The researchers concluded that because messages come from many directions, there's ample opportunity for the messages to be edited along the way."

15 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. ac by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    One surprising finding was that first posts often took meandering routes between people who knew each other
    1. Re:ac by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      One surprising finding was that first posts often took meandering routes between people who knew each other

  2. What? by omeomi · · Score: 2, Funny

    What? African or European?

    --
    ZuluPad, the wiki notepad on crack
  3. Re:Politically-motivated Chain Letters by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 5, Funny

    I started sending point-by-point responses with links to government websites that actually gave the real facts.
    Indeed. I get all my "real facts" from government websites...
    --
    If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
  4. Oh My Gosh! by JayTech · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh my gosh! That email about an email tracker is TRUE!! Chain letters DO get tracked! And guess what? If you send this information to 10 people, you'll get a $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE!

    // jokes, obviously

    1. Re:Oh My Gosh! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      >Oh my gosh! That email about an email tracker is
      >TRUE!! Chain letters DO get tracked! And guess
      >what? If you send this information to 10 people,
      >you'll get a $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE!

    2. Re:Oh My Gosh! by Phyrexicaid · · Score: 4, Funny

      Hai guys! dont kno if thisll work but its worth a shot!!!

      >>Oh my gosh! That email
      about an email tracker is
      >>TRUE!! Chain letters DO
      get tracked! And guess
      >>what? If you send
      this information to 10 people,
      >>you'll get a $100
      GIFT CERTIFICATE!

      --
      The meme is dead, long live the meme!
  5. Re:Politically-motivated Chain Letters by Slashdot+Suxxors · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wait, you actually read your chain mail? Mine goes straight to the trash...

  6. sure.. patterns by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    it doesn't matter what the pattern is.. they all end up in my moms mailbox

    1. Re:sure.. patterns by NotBornYesterday · · Score: 2, Funny

      I wish you didn't post as an AC. You're probably my brother.

      --
      I prefer rogues to imbeciles because they sometimes take a rest.
  7. Re:Politically-motivated Chain Letters by jd · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm more interested in knowing why, when they plotted the path of the chainmail it looked like suit of, well, chainmail. This is a clear indication of the fractal nature of reality, such that our terminology for spam actually infects the upper layers of reality to the point where even couch potatos are zombified into following this ancient topology.

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  8. Re:They concluded! by Hognoxious · · Score: 2, Funny

    there's ample opportunity for the messages to be edited along the way
    I believe the Chinese have been discussing this for some time now - but very, very quietly.
    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  9. Re:Logical Conclusion: by dbcad7 · · Score: 2, Funny

    What I do, is I look at the CC info... Then I reply to everyone on the list telling them there is good news, and bad news.. the good news is that I chanted an incantation and waved my mouse 3 times over my head breaking the spell on their chain letter forever !.. The bad news is that if they send me chain letters again, I'll have to block them, as I only have so much magic available.

    --
    waiting for ad.doubleclick.net
  10. Re:Logical Conclusion: by dotancohen · · Score: 2, Funny

    The bad news is that if they send me chain letters again, I'll have to block them, as I only have so much magic available. I swear if you do it one more time I'm gonna report your ISP and say you were sending me kiddie porn you f*ck up.
    --
    It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
  11. Re:Politically-motivated Chain Letters by Crystalmonkey · · Score: 3, Funny

    Reality has been shown to have a clear liberal bias.