

Pigeon beats broadband in data transfer race - edw519
http://www.programmica.info/2009/09/pigeon-beats-broadband.html

======
RiderOfGiraffes
Everyone should know it's the latency that matters, not the throughput.
However, this is proving to be a very popular story on HN.

<http://searchyc.com/pigeon?sort=by_date>

shows various comments already scattered through these HN items:

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=816329>

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=815840>

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=815593>

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=815501>

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=814443>

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=813313>

~~~
dagw
_Everyone should know it's the latency that matters, not the throughput._

Depends entirely on the problem you are trying to solve. Sometimes DVDs in the
post really is the best solution. I've done it on more than one occasion.

~~~
RiderOfGiraffes
Of course. I was kind-of assuming everyone here would recognise and appreciate
the reference to this article:

<http://rescomp.stanford.edu/~cheshire/rants/Latency.html>

Perhaps I was wrong.

------
profquail
Article with a little more info, and a picture of Winston (the pigeon):

[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1212214/Co...](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1212214/Company-
enlists-Winston-homing-pigeon-carry-data-transfer--faster-broadband.html)

------
edw519
_...pitted a homing pigeon carrying 4GB of data on a USB stick against its
broadband connection..._

Instantly double throughput with an 8GB USB stick.

~~~
codeodor
Half of the time was spent getting the data from the stick onto the computer,
while only half was spent with the pigeon flying.

So, it will go up, but with quickly diminishing returns.

~~~
electromagnetic
> However, he admits the plan is not without its difficulties: "There are
> other problems, of course. Winston is vulnerable to the weather and
> predators such as hawks. Obviously he will have to take his chances but
> we're confident this system can work for us,' says Rolfe.

They might need to retransmit once or twice a month too . . .

~~~
socillion
Redundant pigeons would reduce the data loss, although maintenance costs would
rise.

------
pistoriusp
They also should have mentioned that transferring 4GB of data in South Africa
will set you back ~$30.

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adatta02
probably true for a lot of places <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneakernet>

------
DanielBMarkham
If two pigeons had a line between them, they could carry a 1TB drive. Or maybe
four pigeons. With something like a flying hammock.

I think the key question is: are pigeons migratory?

(I am really, really sorry, but this article was just too much for a Monty
Python fan. And it's a Saturday too)

------
jancona
Obligatory RFC 1149 reference: <http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc1149>

We may have to update the old "Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station
wagon full of tapes..." chestnut.

