If only there was a way for the sender to obtain verification. Maybe a little postcard that is torn off by the mail carrier then sent back to the sender. Why, oh why, has no one implemented such a simple thing?
If only there was a way to verify the letter was delivered to the correct person. Maybe have the carrier check a government identification and obtain a signature. Why, oh why, has no one implemented such a simple thing?
If only there was a way to track the progress of a letter. Maybe have all the automated sorters and the carrier use a code of some sort with location data sent to a central database. Why, oh why, has no one implemented such a simple thing?
I struggle to believe anyone is that ignorant but here we are.
I’ve noticed that some cats seem like “like” some electronic music or at least seem to pay attention to it, weirdly enough. Try some cEvin Key for example:
Mostly because it’s only simple as long as you don’t require it to be convenient, cheap, or resistant to DoS attacks.
Expecting the recipient to be at the delivery site at the delivery time works poorly outside of some commercial contexts, it increases the risk of non-delivery substantially; and the little ‘sorry we missed you; should we pretend to retry or would you like to trek out to the depot at a time when the package is not out for delivery?’ cards are not validated and easy to either provide dishonest responses to or to remove(and if you tried to validate them they would suffer from the same things that caused the package to not be delivered in the first place).
You can make it work better by having the carrier retry more times and at a wider spread of times; but more visits, especially outside of normal working hours, means higher cost.
It’s reasonably common to use such services anyway, either when shipping to destinations where you know someone will be available to receive (and, in that case, the shipment rules don’t specify ‘specific person’, just ‘representative’; which is less helpful when dealing with a malicious insider); but the value is highest when a physical package has to be delivered but you are already in contact so that you can detect and follow up on any discrepancies: if the recipient doesn’t necessarily expect the package you don’t need to impersonate them, just cause delivery to fail; and if the shipper will accept ‘to representative’ rather than ‘to specific person’ you only need reply convincingly enough for them to have no reason to believe that the person who signed for the package didn’t actually divert it.
In this case I suspect that duplication would have helped them more than verification: verification is nice if a package is high value, confidential, or you are legally obligated to keep track of it; but it’s costly and makes ‘give up and return to sender’ the default failsafe option that is usually not that hard to trigger.
The delivery here was a message that really, really, needed to get to the right person; but a given letter, email, or phone call carrying the message was of trivial value, could be produced in as many copies as desired; and (while confidentiality and protection from diversion would be a plus) loss or disclosure of some delivery attempts would be a lesser evil than a delivery failing ‘safe’ and never arriving.
None of this explains why they didn’t just spam him a bit harder across multiple channels; but the case of the high-value message is actually quite different from that of the high value package; and the case of ‘delivery is the top priority’ different from that of ‘confidentiality is the highest priority’; with aggressive verification measures better suited to high value packages with confidentiality and/or chain of custody requirements rather than high value messages with delivery requirements.
For those that are interested but not might fully grok the situation, this was a bit like getting screwed out of going to Yale Law and having to go to Michigan instead, but ending up on track for your Supreme Court nomination anyway because you’re just that amazing. He got to study with his teacher anyway, and the thing about a “graduate certificate” being less prestigious will likely never matter, as orchestras don’t care about the degree, only how you play. The Toronto Symphony is a fantastic gig so all’s well that ends well and it’s hard for me to feel too bad for him, but that is all in hindsight of course.
And when that tracking number says “out for delivery” in some APIs. And “Awaiting handoff to our sort facility” in others. And its been weeks since the delivery date passed? The tracking number relies on various people at various spaces scanning the package and using that data to update the system. Its not magic. You don’t print a number on the box and suddenly the exact coordinates of the package are always known.
Thus. When the package or letter is lost it is still lost. As in missing. As in noone can find it. As in never delivered. Without the circumstance of being the person who requested (by actually ordering) the items in question. I’d never even know they’d gone walk about.
Good God. I cannot believe I have to explain this. The sender, after a reasonable amount of time has passed, resends the letter. In your example, the sender can resend earlier than expected because the letter appears stuck.
You do understand we are discussing a message that can be repeated and not the Hope Diamond?
“Also, try not to date sociopaths.”: victim blaming.
“change your email passwords frequently and be careful of who you provide access to your account”: gratuitous advice to sociopaths to better enable them to get away with their BS.
You do understand that things actually do get lost in the mail. And that I’m referring to things that actually went lost in the mail. More over that tracking info, as I noted isn’t always accurate or clear. One of my missing packages was listed as “delivered”, when trying to establish if it was stolen we contacted the local post office. They have no record of it ever entering their building. The other had multiple check ins and updates at multiple postal facilities. On Amazon’s tracking page. On the post office’s there’s only the tag for the creation of the shipping label, it doesnt appear to have ever left the warehouse.
Tracking info is reliant on the people handling the package caring enough to do it it properly. And if everything is done properly it can only tell you that the package was delivered. But not to whom. Like for example a live in significant other with ulterior motives.
Even sending it certified with a return receipt wouldn’t have done that.
You’re basically saying they should have done their due diligence in making sure it got there. And yeah. But thats exactly as possible using email, phones, or sending a clown by to announce the things via balloon animal.
My position was stated in my first post. One that, at this point, you are ignoring so you can continue trying to claim you are “right” and I am “wrong”.
This just means that cats eat you immediately at the first opportunity, but dogs wait for a while after you’re dead and they’re starving. (Note: this is actually true.)
Since it doesn’t have the size advantage, it just has to wait for you to be sufficiently immobile.
