The post office doesn't guarantee delivery, but it tries really hard. It's called best efforts communication. If you put two postcards in the post-box, they don't necessarily come out then in the same order that you put them in. So, that means that there's potentially disorder with your delivery, and that's also true in the Internet.

In this quote, Vint Cerf, one of the pioneers of the Internet, draws a comparison between traditional postal systems and the way communication works on the Internet. He explains that while the post office doesn’t guarantee precise delivery, it makes a best efforts attempt to deliver the mail. Cerf uses this analogy to highlight how both systems can experience disorder or variability in their delivery processes. Just like two postcards may not come out in the same order as they were placed, data sent over the Internet can also arrive out of order or experience interruptions, despite efforts to ensure smooth communication.

The origin of this quote is rooted in Cerf’s expertise in networking and his contributions to the development of the TCP/IP protocol, which is foundational to how the Internet operates today. By using the post office analogy, Cerf explains a key concept in Internet architecture: while the system works efficiently most of the time, it is not perfect, and data packets may experience delays, loss, or arrive out of sequence. This imperfection in delivery is a natural aspect of how the Internet functions, reflecting the challenges of global data transmission.

Cerf’s concept of best efforts communication refers to the idea that while systems like the post office or the Internet strive to deliver information accurately and efficiently, they cannot guarantee flawless performance. There is an inherent level of uncertainty and potential disorder in these systems, which makes them different from systems where delivery is more controlled or predictable. This acknowledgment of imperfection is important in understanding the complexity of communication technologies and their limitations.

Ultimately, Cerf’s quote provides insight into the nature of digital communication and the challenges faced in transmitting data across a vast, interconnected network. By using the analogy of the post office, he highlights how the Internet, despite its sophistication, still shares some of the same vulnerabilities in terms of delivery and reliability. Understanding these limitations is essential for improving communication technologies and ensuring they continue to evolve to meet the growing demands of global connectivity.