Bergen Linux User Group pigeon datagram sells for $20,480 at Christie's

The Bergen Linux User Group's 2001 carrier pigeon datagram experiment, which demonstrated the absurdity of bandwidth comparisons by sending a ping packet via bird faster than a local ADSL connection could transfer the same data, has become a collectible artifact. Christie's auction house had estimated the framed datagram at $3,000 USD, but competitive bidding drove the final price to $20,480. The piece represents an early and memorable moment in internet culture and open-source community history.

The pigeon datagram's place in internet folklore

• The original 2001 experiment sent a ping packet from one Bergen LUG member to another using a carrier pigeon, with the datagram printed on paper and strapped to the bird's leg
• The packet completed its journey faster than a competing 64 kbps ADSL line could upload the same amount of data, illustrating RFC 1149 ("IP over Avian Carriers")
• The auctioned item is the framed original datagram, preserved as a physical artifact of the demonstration
• Bergen Linux User Group is one of Norway's oldest Linux user groups, active since the late 1990s

Why it matters

The sale highlights how early open-source community experiments have gained cultural and historical significance beyond their technical demonstrations, though the auction price reflects collector interest rather than any direct impact on current technology.