Blog Post #2

I agree most with Metcalfe's network law. While Sarnoff's law makes sense, it is more difficult to apply it to modern communication. Sarnoff's law is a basic model of understanding the value of a network, as that value would obviously increase when the number of users increases. I believe that Metcalfe's law provides a deeper understanding of how the value of a network increases. Metcalfe's law states that the value of a communication network is squared with each new member making at least one connection. This makes more sense when applied to Internet communication since it is a global network that is seemingly infinite. As the internet becomes increasingly larger and more users are connected to the network, the value of the network as a medium of communication increases as well. As we learned from our lectures on the history of the internet, we saw how fast the number of internet users grew, in a short amount of time, which explains why the internet is the way we see it today. The internet of today is a vastly complex source of information and communication, which can be attributed to the vast amount of users who are connected.

Five years from now, I believe people will receive the majority of their information from the Internet alone. It has been growing at a rapid pace over the past 20 years and will only continue to do so. It will be the primary source of information because of the increased value of having more users connected, according to Metcalfe's law. I don't believe it is inconceivable to think that other means of getting information, such as books or radio and television, could face a drastic decline in value as far as a source of information goes. They may never completely die out, but the value of the global network cannot be denied.