at my home machine estimated
at 1 hour and 20 minutes took just 3 minutes. Complex Web sites like Disney's, Silicon Graphics', and Adobe's were usable within seconds.
Cool. But beyond fast, the experience made me realize that the type of broadband Internet access we discuss in this month's Cover Story is a significant step in the overall evolution of computing.
These students are experiencing what it would be like if the whole world were on Ethernet. Twenty years from now, I hope we'll all be computing on one unified, digital network. Wherever we are, we'll transmit by voice, image, text, or whatever else we come up with.
What are the vital components of an intelligent network? Here's a stab at it:
--One identity.
How many phone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail user names, and other log-on numbers do you have? How about one that you could use anywhere? Then anyone could reach you through that one ID. The network would know how to find you.
--Universal accessibility.
Through some combination of landlines, wireless, and satellite, we need to stitch together a truly global, inclusive network. No matter how many network service providers there are, they'll all need to give us access to that network.
--Full interchange between digital text, voice, fax, and video communications.
Our computers are already capable of handling all those media. Now we need network connections and software that give us a common interface and the ability to readily transfer information between communications types. The computer represents the highest common denominator among network instruments; we can always choose to downshift to send information to people who have only telephones or fax machines.
--Protocol transparency.
Let the network translate -- applications and end users should never have to know what protocol their recipients are using.
--Consistent high performance anywhere.
Someday, the type of performance that Boston Colleg
e students have now may be considered the backwater of the global village. However, if that's as bad as it gets, the intelligent network will be practical for everyone. With the advent of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), it will be flexible enough to deliver the right performance for each different use.
What does this wish list add up to? A world where you can log on anywhere as the same person, access information no matter what form it's in, and get it at least as quickly as if it were local.
Boston College is halfway there. Students get a personal phone number that stays with them for four years, regardless of where they live. For data, they have an IP address, which gives them access anywhere on Boston College's totally flat, bridged network.
Broadband networks such as Boston College's cable backbone lay the groundwork for ubiquitous intelligent networking. What remains is for our industry to agree on standards and technologies that give you one logical address to access it anywhere.
Until that happens, I won't be satisfied with just knowing how fast or feature-rich a new technology is. I'll want to know how much closer it takes us to this holy grail of an intelligent network.
Mark Schlack, Editor in Chief,
mschlack@bix.com
Smart, Fast, and Well Connected
