This reminds me strongly of the Clacks in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels (which is heavily based on the real-world telegraph, though it was a mechanical sem

This reminds me strongly of the Clacks in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels (which is heavily based on the real-world telegraph, though it was a mechanical semaphore system). It quickly took on internet-like characteristics, including image transmission, and then, rather soon, image compression. X-Clacks-Overhead "GNU Terry Pratchett" http://www.gnuterrypratchett.com/ http://www.gnuterrypratchett.com/