Chris - In your quote of Mark Espat he talks about the freedom that brought us from Morris code... I wondered what is Morris code until I realized he was talking about Morse Code. Named for Samuel B. Morse. I am old enough to have used it.
From wikopedia:
"Morse code is a method for transmitting information, using standardized sequences of short and long marks or pulses - commonly known as "dots" and "dashes" - for the letters, numerals and special characters of a message. Originally created for Samuel Morse's electric telegraph in the mid-1830s, it was also extensively used for early radio communication beginning in the 1890s. However, with the development of more advanced communications technologies, the widespread use of Morse code is now largely obsolete, apart from emergency use and other specialized purposes, including navigational radio beacons, and by CW (continuous wave) amateur radio operators."

Perhaps BTL will force us to return to its use.