Do you remember all of the hype surrounding warchalking (the use of symbols to mark wireless hotspots)? Have you seen any marks? Some are betting the whole thing is little more than a fine mix of media blathering and hot air. Initially interest was very heavy in the phenomenon, with Wired News running a feature on the hippest tech fad around. Soon after that, Warchalking was named one of the "100 most significant ideas of the year 2002" by the New York Times Magazine.

Though the practice apparently originated in London, the idea of warchalking quickly made the rounds elsewhere. Many establishments posted the warchalking symbol card in their shop windows in an attempt to advertise their Wi-Fi service while announcing their own hipness. Very few places however, wound up using the idea as it was intended.

There was ensuing debate in several media outlets about the legality of Warchalking, with the FBI even issuing a warning to field offices about the practice as if it were a raging epidemic. But aside from the idea's creators and the few visitors to Warchalking.org, is anyone actually doing it?

This reader of Declan Mcallaugh's Politech mailing list apparently is researching the phenomenon, and so far seems to believe it's 95% media created hype and 5% actual implementation (if that). He argues that the entire concept simply isn't practical; the symbols used to mark wireless access points could too easily be missed, or they'd likely wash away in the rain.

He offers a one dollar bounty if someone comes forward who actually uses Warchalking to identify hotspots. "I am willing to propose a wager, or a bounty. I'll bet one dollar that warchalking is not a meaningful way of locating Wi-Fi hotspots. To win the bounty, can anyone deliver someone that uses warchalking to locate Wi-Fi hotspots?"