6 ms·

I was working at my UNI library around 97 when a fresh t3 (~45MBPS) line was just installed... We also got brand new top of the line Micron computers as well th

I was working at my UNI library around 97 when a fresh t3 (~45MBPS) line was just installed... We also got brand new top of the line Micron computers as well there. I was the first person to test the connection and after years of working on 56k modems I couldn't believe how everything I clicked suddenly worked at the speed of light. Videos I clicked on (on MTVs web site back then) loaded instantly, almost felt as if they loaded before I clicked on links... I have never had anything load as quickly since, even on my home Internet, which is directly connected to my router & 250MBPS plan. I blame all the ads, tracking, and bloatware that is prevalent now most of all.

sparker72678 4y ago
Gosh, yes, this. There was a brief era where websites loaded instantly on those fast network connections, and it was glorious. It's bananas how slow the web is today on average when you're on a symmetric gigabit connection.
meshaneian 4y ago
Just like freeways - add more traffic lanes, get more traffic.
- colejohnson66 4y ago
  Theres actually a name for that phenomenon: Braess’ Paradox https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braess%27s_paradox https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braess%27s_paradox
  - MichaelZuo 4y ago
    Though it's only a paradox for a small number of additional lanes. If 100 lanes are added then traffic will speed up.
    - Schiendelman 4y ago
      It’s unclear that’s the case, because there are other limitations at work! Merging is a huge time cost and slows down two lanes; the more lanes, the more merges are necessary to use the new lanes. There’s some work suggesting it makes more than three lanes in one direction essentially useless in urban areas - and that’s where the traffic is…
      - MichaelZuo 4y ago
        I mean it in the literal sense, past a certain point the city no longer exists as the lanes replace all other land uses and by definition without any source of traffic, the traffic will cease to exist as well.
        Schiendelman 4y ago
        Ha! That’s true too.

sparker72678 4y ago

Gosh, yes, this. There was a brief era where websites loaded instantly on those fast network connections, and it was glorious. It's bananas how slow the web is today on average when you're on a symmetric gigabit connection.

meshaneian 4y ago

Just like freeways - add more traffic lanes, get more traffic.

colejohnson66 4y ago
Theres actually a name for that phenomenon: Braess’ Paradox https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braess%27s_paradox https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braess%27s_paradox
- MichaelZuo 4y ago
  Though it's only a paradox for a small number of additional lanes. If 100 lanes are added then traffic will speed up.
  - Schiendelman 4y ago
    It’s unclear that’s the case, because there are other limitations at work! Merging is a huge time cost and slows down two lanes; the more lanes, the more merges are necessary to use the new lanes. There’s some work suggesting it makes more than three lanes in one direction essentially useless in urban areas - and that’s where the traffic is…
    - MichaelZuo 4y ago
      I mean it in the literal sense, past a certain point the city no longer exists as the lanes replace all other land uses and by definition without any source of traffic, the traffic will cease to exist as well.
      - Schiendelman 4y ago
        Ha! That’s true too.