.
When we're discussing
bandwidth, or any other technical aspect of what is known as the "
World Wide Web", better known as "
www" by those of us who are truly
in the know, we need to not only be familiar with the proper terminology, but also have an understanding of how this high-powered "
www" juggernaut works.
We must know its intricacies, know its capacities, know its foibles, know its innermost workings, know its astrological sign. In other words we must know, understand, and coddle this troika of lowercase "w" 's, realize the mammoth influence that this triumvirate wields each and every day we are optically and sometimes even mentally attached to our computer screen monitors and keyboard instruments.
The "www", if well understood, can be your friend, a true compatriot, a very capable assistant whilst you electronically navigate the wide, wide, wide confines of the fascinating and daunting near mythical
World of Cyber. And of course if you are not skilled or don't understand or even choose to not be swept up in the "
www" frenzy then you can just sit back and enjoy your current copy of
Parade magazine...the paper version that is stuffed in your Sunday newspaper.
By the way...do you have the back copy of
Parade from mid November? It has Whoopi Goldberg on the cover clutching a bunch of carrots. I need to clip the
Jumble© puzzle for my collection. Could you telefax it to me via your facsimile machine please? I have no idea how I missed clipping that one. A real puzzle to me!
Well enough of that. Let's get started on unraveling the mystique enveloping bandwidth...shall we?
"Bandwidth: The NASCAR of the Net...Without All The Decals." Internet bandwidth is, in simple terms, the transmission speed or throughput of your connection to the Internet...pretty much what I have been saying all along.
However, measuring bandwidth can be tricky, since the lowest bandwidth point between your computer and the site you're looking at determines the effective transmission speed at any moment...think in terms of something between the
weakest link concept and a court ordered home monitoring device.
Four factors outside of your computer control how quickly you can view Web pages:
1.The Internet bandwidth between your computer and the site you're viewing...you know that site.
2.The round-trip time between your computer and the site you're viewing...Seoul, South Korea? How long could that take?
3.The response time of the site you're viewing..."
Molasses Hotline. Please hold."
4.The quality of the rubber thimbles used to turn the Web pages...I recommend
marbig© Thimblettes...very tacky.
Basically all you have to remember is the width of the band is inversely proportional to the quality of the sound, but proportional to the speed.
The more narrow the band the lower the quality of the sound and the quicker the speed.
The wider the band the higher quality of the sound and the slower the speed.Easy.
The two photos below should serve as a handy reference for sorting out all of this bandwidth stuff.
Since discussions of this vexing concept arises constantly I'd recommend you print a copy of each and carry them in your wallet or purse so that you may have them always available for helping to explain bandwidth to others. You'll be considered quite the expert.
Very narrow band. Fastest One Man Band...quick, but grating!
Very wide band. A little older...not so quick. But ahhh...wonderful! Nice slow tempo. Hit it boys!.
