[ih] principles of the internet

[dcrocker at gmail.com (Dave Crocker)]

> Ethernet is higher because the aether has been replaced by coax. Not
> because Ethernet made more effort than Alohanet.


I have always understood that the difference was due to the differing 
particulars of problem detection and recovery mechanisms, rather than due to the 
medium itself.

And the particular radio arrangement used by the Alohanet folk was not the only 
medium lacking carrier sense and/or collision detect possibilities.

But exponential backoff was a fundamental improvement, which probably explains 
why it became the standard model for retries.  And, of course, it's entirely 
medium independent.

I vaguely recall coming across a study that evaluated the incremental benefit of 
each of Ethernet's features, in terms of improved channel use.  But since I 
don't work in this space, I never retain the details of such tidbits.

d/
-- 

   Dave Crocker
   Brandenburg InternetWorking
   bbiw.net