[12051] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Surprising results: connection speed
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Harry Tennant)
Tue May 3 12:19:00 1994
Date: Tue, 3 May 1994 08:25:36 -0600
To: com-priv@psi.com
From: tennant@metronet.com (Harry Tennant)
Cc: lbrock@prosaix.com
Thanks to all those who responded to my question about the speed of your
connection to the Internet. I was surprised by the high percentage of
slower connections:
Speed Number
<= 28.8 kbps 23
> 28.8 14
I was expecting more in the range of 10% slower connections. Could this
really be representative or is there something that would bias the query
toward the slower connected folks? Admittedly, the sample is fairly small
(47, but then, it's the only sample I've got!).
The reason for my question was a reality check on statements about Mosaic
being a killer app for the net. I connect at 14.4, and while the graphics
make for great demos, I turn them off to do real work. Internet Talk
Radio? Forget it. But if most of the world is running off T1s or better,
it makes sense to design Mosaic pages to assume graphics (like graphical
buttons instead of text.)
Surprisingly, the majority have slower connections. Should companies stop
making graphical home pages? No, but the graphics should be done assuming
slower connections: don't have some big 100K graphic that is only a logo.
Don't have links visible only in the graphics. And, most important, if
you're thinking that Mosaic pages will soon replace printed catalogs with
high quality graphics on every page, perhaps you should think again. At
these speeds, it's more appropriate to think in terms of a price list than
a catalog.
The details:
Speed Number
2.4 k 1
9.6 4
14.4 13
19.2 2
28.8 1
"< 28.8" 2
256 1
T1 8
>T1 5
Note: those who answered "T1 at work, 14.4 at home" were counted as the
higher speed (there were 3 of these)
Harry
_________________________________________________________
Harry Tennant (214) 340-0694
8423 Vista View Drive (214) 340-8132 fax
Dallas, TX 75243 tennant@metronet.com
