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The Internet Map

internet-map.net

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Re: The Internet Map

#31
post #6

This is the Internet map a few months after I first got on from Harv-10 in 1972: http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkingsf/7257339850/lightbox/ . Brings back great memories of sitting by the Harvard IMP (router) late at night, and getting a call from BBN on the phone asking me (anyone) to reboot it manually...

By the way, I (as non-US) wonder why west coast and california had more nodes even back then? I mean, west coast is less populated and if you look at night lights map it's practically invisible compared to east coast. Why tech tend to be there anyway?

Back then it was likely easier to lay the groundwork than in more populated cities. In addition there were great institutes of higher learning focusing on technology.

Note this is just a small theory and in no way has any evidence to back it.

Re: The Internet Map

#32
post #6

This is the Internet map a few months after I first got on from Harv-10 in 1972: http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkingsf/7257339850/lightbox/ . Brings back great memories of sitting by the Harvard IMP (router) late at night, and getting a call from BBN on the phone asking me (anyone) to reboot it manually...

By the way, I (as non-US) wonder why west coast and california had more nodes even back then? I mean, west coast is less populated and if you look at night lights map it's practically invisible compared to east coast. Why tech tend to be there anyway?

Most of the work on the ARPAnet was happening in California. Between defense contractors (one of the 'goal' clients), the number of universities (Stanford, USC, UCB, Etc.), primary contractors (SRI, BBN, Etc), and the relative low cost of slinging wires long distances through the central valley to try out protocols over long distances, it got more investment early on.

Re: The Internet Map

#33
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By the way, I (as non-US) wonder why west coast and california had more nodes even back then? I mean, west coast is less populated and if you look at night lights map it's practically invisible compared to east coast. Why tech tend to be there anyway?

Back then it was likely easier to lay the groundwork than in more populated cities. In addition there were great institutes of higher learning focusing on technology. Note this is just a small theory and in no way has any evidence to back it.

But then, why all those technology institutes happened to grow there? Back when there weren't many people, or infrastructure, or tech?

Re: The Internet Map

#36
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back then it was likely easier to lay the groundwork than in more populated cities. In addition there were great institutes of higher learning focusing on technology. Note this is just a small theory and in no way has any evidence to back it.

But then, why all those technology institutes happened to grow there? Back when there weren't many people, or infrastructure, or tech?

That's a good question and I'd be very interested in reading about why so many popped up out here. I posed a question about this on Quora so hopefully I can report back soon with some good answers.

Re: The Internet Map

#37
post #19

What is it visualizing? Pages or links? Because if it's links, there's no way that Facebook is so large and Wikipedia is so small.

According to other comments on HN, it seems they are counting outside links to a given domain.

That's what I'm saying, it's just not possible. Pageviews would explain Facebook being so much larger than Wikipedia, but think about it - how many links from outside Facebook point to Facebook vs how many links from outside Wikipedia point to Wikipedia?

Re: The Internet Map

#38
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

According to other comments on HN, it seems they are counting outside links to a given domain.

That's what I'm saying, it's just not possible. Pageviews would explain Facebook being so much larger than Wikipedia, but think about it - how many links from outside Facebook point to Facebook vs how many links from outside Wikipedia point to Wikipedia?

what about all the Facebook embedded widgets? wouldn't those be links to facebook.com ?

Re: The Internet Map

#40
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back then it was likely easier to lay the groundwork than in more populated cities. In addition there were great institutes of higher learning focusing on technology. Note this is just a small theory and in no way has any evidence to back it.

But then, why all those technology institutes happened to grow there? Back when there weren't many people, or infrastructure, or tech?

"Back when there weren't many people, or infrastructure"

What time frame are you thinking of here? I'm not sure it is accurate - there was plenty of infrastructure and people in post WW2 Western US.

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