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Metcalfe's law is Metcalfe's law
You know I have been on this planet for 26 years not and I just today found out about the term Metcalfe's law.
Metcalfe's law states that the value of a communications system grows as the square of the number of users of the system (Nē).
First formulated by Robert Metcalfe in regard to Ethernet, Metcalfe's law explains many of the network effects of communications technologies and networks such as the Internet and World Wide Web.
That is so damn cool. Metcalf is my last name if you did not know. It can be spelled both with and with out the "e" on the end.
Jake at October 31, 2003 
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Comments
I don't pretend to understand Metcalfe's Law, I merely enforce it.
Posted by: jason at October 31, 2003 12:08 PM
"Brannigan's law is like Brannigan's love, hard and fast"
- Zap Brannigan Futurama
Posted by: Jake at October 31, 2003 12:16 PM
well it is very interesting how this law is in total opposition to the law of supply and demand. Fascinating how technology works to change our sense of what has value and what does not. It is a catalyst for change in so many ways that it blows your mind.
Posted by: pete at October 31, 2003 12:41 PM
Well it is relative to the amount of people involved. Take p2p file sharing. 100 college kids on Kazaa are having a much better time than only 10 kids on the same p2p system.
Posted by: Jake at October 31, 2003 12:55 PM
Those of us old enough remember when there were a dozen or so competing operating systems. We also remember that hardware was far and away the exception. And we recall that buying a word processor for your $4,000 computer would cost $500.
Proprietary = low volume = high cost with low utility.
Standardized = high volume = lower cost with higher utility.
Maybe Microsoft isn't so evil after all....
Posted by: Howard Hansen at October 31, 2003 11:56 PM
Well there are now atleast a dozen or so competing operating systems. I have a hard time seeing why some one should pay $500 to run MS office when Open office will set you back $0.00
Posted by: Jake at November 1, 2003 12:08 PM
Jake, why can't I comment on the mental ground zero? I think it's really neat that you helped Pete & kids donate food and that you have also. At our school the home visitors have requested jackets to give to families--since it's so cold now. I just went through the closet and got a bag to take to school tomorrow.
Posted by: Lynne at November 2, 2003 8:47 PM
Well Mom just make sure you have contact info in the form. I tried it out and it was working for me so try again.
Posted by: Jake at November 3, 2003 9:23 AM
Now we are waiting for Metcalfe's law 2.0. lol
Posted by: dave at December 19, 2003 9:25 AM
I guess you will have to ask Robert Metcalfe ;)
Posted by: Jake at December 19, 2003 9:42 AM
No, he got one
Posted by: ukund at January 17, 2004 11:35 PM
no, he got one
Posted by: ukund at January 17, 2004 11:41 PM
