Place holder for a concept....

[johno]

Mail systems are like groups of monkeys passing coconuts around.

They often add recieved coconuts to the pile in front of them.

Sometimes they can pass the coconut on to the next set of monkeys.


I've got a training session coming up and I'm trying to get the idea of store-n-forward mail systems into a useful metaphor.


***Edit to add***

The USPO is a good base concept, however...

Modern mail systems sometimes do instant hand off.

Comments

[ravan.livejournal.com]

Batch processing at the post office is a more apt metaphor, IMO.

* It accumulates in the box, until the truck (forwarder) picks it up.
* Then it is transported to the post office (router) where it is sorted late anight into boxes for its destinations.
* Then either it is handed to postmen in the morning or routed to another destination for aggregation and sorting.
* Finally, the postman (MTA) picks up the boxes and puts things in individual mailboxes.