New 'Grid' to replace World Wide Web

[Zixinus]

Isn't the net already fibre-optic based allot anyway? What's exactly new with this "grid"? I can't quite follow and the article sounds more like just wank on wank.

Lovely, but the technical detail uppermost on the minds of many users will be how fast they'll be able to download their porn.

With this? VEEEEEERY FAST.

[phongn]

Isn't the net already fibre-optic based allot anyway? What's exactly new with this "grid"? I can't quite follow and the article sounds more like just wank on wank.

It's an ultra-high-speed backbone for scientific purposes. The LHC will produce enormous amounts of data, so we need the Grid.

[Zixinus]

It's an ultra-high-speed backbone for scientific purposes. The LHC will produce enormous amounts of data, so we need the Grid.

Ah, that makes sense. So why is the author exited? It's clearly there for scientific purposes. Its not likely that the average internet user can afford to buy fiber-optic-based modem and access to the net.

[Zixinus]

Its not likely that the average internet user can afford to buy fiber-optic-based modem and access to the net.

Correction: Its not likely that the average internet user can afford to buy fiber-optic-based modem and access to the net with it.

[CaptainChewbacca]

It's an ultra-high-speed backbone for scientific purposes. The LHC will produce enormous amounts of data, so we need the Grid.

Ah, that makes sense. So why is the author exited? It's clearly there for scientific purposes. Its not likely that the average internet user can afford to buy fiber-optic-based modem and access to the net.

...YET.

When telegraph and telephones were first invented, most people couldn't connect to them or use them freely. This is setting the backbone of a new network which will start to intrude into public life only after decades of use.