4 ms·

One merely has to refer to RFC 1149[1] to determine why this solution is obviously unacceptable: "Avian carriers can provide high delay, low throughput, and lo

One merely has to refer to RFC 1149[1] to determine why this solution is obviously unacceptable: "Avian carriers can provide high delay, low throughput, and low altitude service." "...only guarantees best effort delivery, loss of a carrier can be tolerated." "...storms can cause data loss." "Audit trails are automatically generated, and can often be found on logs and cable trays." And probably most important: "Security is not generally a problem in normal operation, but special measures must be taken (such as data encryption) when avian carriers are used in a tactical environment." The only encryption method available is for the bearer to wear the ring, and Sauron has already cracked the key. Avian carriers are only appropriate when it is feasible to have "persistent delivery retry, until the carrier drops." They're ruled out for this mission simply because there are no second chances. [1] http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1149.txt http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1149.txt

joshuahedlund 14y ago
To be fair, it's not like the ground method had much room for second chances, either.
- guard-of-terra 14y ago
  That's because they separated. It didn't go as planned. If they would enter Mordor as a group they had better chance perhaps? I think Mordor had some kind of anti-air defense (watch towers + crossbowmen)? Because if they didn't, it would be a persistent and major attack surface. And 40% of failure wasn't tolerable. And after they separated, Frodo had no ways to summon eagles. Moreover, maybe in the middle earth they see such occasions as a battle of strong wills, not firepower. A few heroes outwill a regular strike force. That's all what matters.
dbbolton 14y ago
But is it fitting to apply the findings of trials with real world birds to the sapient Middle-earth eagles?
- jackalope 14y ago
  Are we to believe that these are some sort of magic eagles to which the laws of physics do not apply?
  - jtheory 14y ago
    Sentience adds significant value (like far better risk avoidance than instinct can provide) with no magic involved. The whole point is not that the eagles plan would be foolproof -- just that it would be a hell of a lot smarter than the plan they chose. Hence, plot hole.

joshuahedlund 14y ago

To be fair, it's not like the ground method had much room for second chances, either.

guard-of-terra 14y ago
That's because they separated. It didn't go as planned. If they would enter Mordor as a group they had better chance perhaps? I think Mordor had some kind of anti-air defense (watch towers + crossbowmen)? Because if they didn't, it would be a persistent and major attack surface. And 40% of failure wasn't tolerable. And after they separated, Frodo had no ways to summon eagles. Moreover, maybe in the middle earth they see such occasions as a battle of strong wills, not firepower. A few heroes outwill a regular strike force. That's all what matters.

dbbolton 14y ago

But is it fitting to apply the findings of trials with real world birds to the sapient Middle-earth eagles?

jackalope 14y ago
Are we to believe that these are some sort of magic eagles to which the laws of physics do not apply?
- jtheory 14y ago
  Sentience adds significant value (like far better risk avoidance than instinct can provide) with no magic involved. The whole point is not that the eagles plan would be foolproof -- just that it would be a hell of a lot smarter than the plan they chose. Hence, plot hole.