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To: RocketMan who wrote (5598)	2/19/1999 7:36:00 PM
From: Glenn T	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29970

This concerns me a bit....What does abusing the service mean?? Downloading too much info? Looking at too many pictures? And how many people does it take to overload the system.. Is ATHM ready to drop $1 bil to update and keep pace with demand? like AOL had to do..I have ATHM and love it.. It makes using the internet like using your TV.. just turn it on.. Long ATHM , anyone with some thoughts?/ Boli

To: RocketMan who wrote (5598)	2/20/1999 12:47:00 PM
From: Frank A. Coluccio	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 29970

RM, Re: # 5598 What we see here on the surface appears to be a weird kind of dichotomy which will result in disillusionment for many. On the top of the page we see the advertisement drawing us to the service. The ad has all of the characteristics and markings of a free-market commodity working for it. On the bottom of the page, in smaller print, we have all of these instructions which spell out the egalitarian principles, and all of the mandates which were once placed on good citizenry, during the earlier research Internet. The commercial cable modem operators are requesting (actually, enforcing) the rules which characterized the educational and research-oriented Internet of the past. (Maybe those guys and gals in the Internet Society knew what they were talking about all along?) In any event, these rules of etiquette, as it were, are now being used as the guidelines (some would argue, the impositions) by the commercial ops. On a broader scope, these needn't be viewed as entirely sinister, or backwards, in nature. Given the alternative use of other providers' platforms, they, too, would be hard pressed to respond to a group of users in a community of interest (say, gamers, for example) who could tie up the resources on any form of delivery. What appears on the radar screen almost immediately when we begin to discuss this aspect of user preferences, is tiered pricing schemes, which will eventually play a hand in traffic control. In the absence of such controls, or revenue opportunities, take your pick, it bottom lines to scale and the status quo of what's considered a normal flow. This, it could be argued, is an entirely subjective assessment, albeit with cable operators they are missing an important ingredient to allow for excess subjectivity. They do not have the head room at this time that would allow them to lower the bar. The bar, in fact, is constantly being raised against them, as users' expectations are increased. One observation, which really hits home, is that the HFC architectural designs of today will not be robust enough going forward to satisfy promiscuous users. And who is to say what promiscuous is? All one has to do, even in the absence of any technical orientation, is to read your post to come to their own conclusions, or raise similar questions, on this matter. This can be corrected for an interim period (e.g., between 2001 and 2004 or -5, maybe) by beginning to re-segment now, and by adding some spectrum to that which is assigned for cable modem use. If they begin these triage measures when the problems begin to manifest themselves, it will be too late. But such triage will only be temporary in nature. Only some form of fiber to the home (pure), or to the curb (contaminated, but probably more economically feasible), will noticeably eliminate the next decade's congestion problems beyond the first triage procedure. Regards, Frank Coluccio