Slashdot Mirror
'Selfish Routing' Slows the Internet
Smaz writes "Science Blog reports that a little love could speed things up on the Net. "Self-interest can deplete a common resource. It seems this also applies to the Internet and other computer networks, which are slowed by those who hurry the most. Fortunately, say computer scientists at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. , there is a limit to how bad the slowdown can get. And after developing tools to measure how much the performance of a particular network suffers, they say, the way to get improved performance on the Internet is the same as the way to maintain air and water quality: altruism helps."
If you've got to rely on the goodwill of others to get by, you're totally screwed.
another resource depleting mechanism known as "Slashdotting"
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[Big Brick Wall]
...that this isn't the guys at Cornell just trying to capture more bandwidth for themselves? Seems like a good idea to me.
Me: Don't use as much bandwidth and everyone will go faster!
World: Hey! That seems like a good idea.
Me: (aside) Mwuhahahaha
Posting as directed.
Reasearch networks are particular well at this sports: For example, the German Research Network (DFN) has a strict anti-peering policy. GÉANT, a European research network, appears to accepts only links to a single research network operator in each member country.
Of course, the most important aspect of such networks is that the bandwidth they offer is helpful in Dick Size Wars at supercomputing conferences, so it's not a terribly loss for the Internet at large.
Somehow the only conclusion I could draw from the article is that using the network slows it down. Right, so could somebody explain what the article is trying to say?
Eventually the system will settle to an equilibrium that mathematicians call a Nash flow, which will be, on the average, slower than the ideal.
If nobody goes for the blond, we all get laid. Somebody go tell the routers.
'Cool! One meg left! .......huh? WTF?!!? Disconnected?! You dirty SOB!..FUUuuuuuuuccCCCKKK!'
It seems the researchers at Pinko U finally realize that routers have always been programmed using the enlightened-self-interest model of bandwidth utilization. It's time to shut them down.
The last thing we need is lazy, welfare dependant internet backbones sitting around all day watching The Dukes of Hazzard and drinking Lite Beer. If the altruists win this round, AOL transforms from the gated-suburb of the internet into the "Projects". Aren't we taxed enough?
this is why I hate download managers, especially ones that create dozens of connections to download segments of large files.
My flatmate does that with eDonkey on TWO of his computers and squashed our bandwidth for a week (downloading pr0n of course)
"I would say that 99 per cent of what my father has written about his own life is false." - L. Ron Hubbard Jr.
If the "altruistic" behavior results in a better network, then isn't there a benefit for the altruistic behavior? Doesn't it cease being altruistic if there is a benefit? Aaggh! I'm caught in another Prisoner's Dilemma with an uncertain number of moves!
Where's my Dawkins? (That's twice today I've thought of him).
GF.
Lots of petrified grits
Maybe I am just a lowly CCNP
No, it's no longer "CCNP"; the Soviet Socialists are now calling themselves the nationlists, the Union is gone, and the country's just named Russia.
But thanks, "Comrade". We'll open a dossier on you anyway.
Opinions on the Twiddler2 hand-held keyboard?
I would have had first post but it got stuck in a jam in Toronto.
Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise. - William Shakespeare
First thought: What do oysters have to do with internet?
Second thought: OOPS! SELfish...
Third thought: ??????
Fourth thought: Profit!
I've known this phenomenon for quite a while (it makes perfect logical sense) having commuted in rush hour traffic for many years
scary how much thought this guy has put into it....but i bet the transportation department would fund him to do a study
I'm out of my mind right now, but feel free to leave a message.....
mom?
There are some odd things afoot now, in the Villa Straylight.