Comments on: New skyway spans nation with words, pictures: AT&T's wireless data plan, ca. 1951 http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:20:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: cbbb http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1548218 cbbb Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1548218 Actually, some of this is coming back. In the low-latency trading market Microwave communications offer the lowest latency paths. Many trading firms are building them in, and as I understand it, there is work being done to connect Chicago to New York (among other places) right now. Actually, some of this is coming back. In the low-latency trading market Microwave communications offer the lowest latency paths. Many trading firms are building them in, and as I understand it, there is work being done to connect Chicago to New York (among other places) right now.

]]> By: AnthonyC http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1548080 AnthonyC Wed, 03 Oct 2012 17:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1548080 Anyone else misread it as "spams the nation?" Anyone else misread it as “spams the nation?”

]]> By: Kimmo http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1547752 Kimmo Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1547752 As far as lovingly scanning goes, I'm always torn between full restoration as performed here, and preserving a record of the stained, yellowed medium the image came on... After all, if you provide the original, anyone can restore it themselves if they like... only most folks won't be interested in the original. As far as lovingly scanning goes, I’m always torn between full restoration as performed here, and preserving a record of the stained, yellowed medium the image came on…

After all, if you provide the original, anyone can restore it themselves if they like… only most folks won’t be interested in the original.

]]> By: Kimmo http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1547750 Kimmo Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1547750 If you consider the etymology of <i>photograph</i>, I think you'll agree it's a perfectly fine term for taking a picture with any tech. In the same way, there's nothing wrong with referring to MP3s as records. <i>LP</i> is the tech-specific term... If you consider the etymology of photograph, I think you’ll agree it’s a perfectly fine term for taking a picture with any tech.

In the same way, there’s nothing wrong with referring to MP3s as records. LP is the tech-specific term…

]]> By: yahoo-LJBHIXYJ55RLT34HN3KIYI5CTI http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1547600 yahoo-LJBHIXYJ55RLT34HN3KIYI5CTI Wed, 03 Oct 2012 05:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1547600 Another vintage AT&T ad from 1935 here: http://lechaletdelarete.blogspot.jp/2012/09/les-belles-de-bell.html Another vintage AT&T ad from 1935 here:
http://lechaletdelarete.blogspot.jp/2012/09/les-belles-de-bell.html

]]> By: daev http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1547516 daev Wed, 03 Oct 2012 03:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1547516 I'm tempted to plan a roadtrip that passes as many of these old towers as I can manage just to photograph (ok, image...it's all digital these days) them and the "remote terminal" buildings at their bases. I wonder if they've changed the locks.... I’m tempted to plan a roadtrip that passes as many of these old towers as I can manage just to photograph (ok, image…it’s all digital these days) them and the “remote terminal” buildings at their bases. I wonder if they’ve changed the locks….

]]> By: Otis Farnapple http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1547489 Otis Farnapple Wed, 03 Oct 2012 02:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1547489  Just last week as I was pedaling past the old main AT&T switching building in downtown Sacramento they were pulling the microwave horns off of the roof - end of an era.  Just last week as I was pedaling past the old main AT&T switching building in downtown Sacramento they were pulling the microwave horns off of the roof – end of an era.

]]> By: jimkirk http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1547426 jimkirk Wed, 03 Oct 2012 01:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1547426 Or you could use homing pigeons... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_over_Avian_Carriers Or you could use homing pigeons…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_over_Avian_Carriers

]]> By: Ethan http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1547409 Ethan Wed, 03 Oct 2012 00:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1547409 This is how actually how I connect to the internet (and am viewing the image). I'm too remote to have DSL or Cable, so I have a microwave antenna for internet service. It's better than dial-up (of course) or satellite. This is how actually how I connect to the internet (and am viewing the image). I’m too remote to have DSL or Cable, so I have a microwave antenna for internet service. It’s better than dial-up (of course) or satellite.

]]> By: daev http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1547310 daev Tue, 02 Oct 2012 23:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1547310 I work on this stuff for a living. I still find it fascinating that almost all of these towers are now bare, replaced by fiber. Even satellite has been replaced by fiber. I had signs taped to the floor, walls, and cabinets during the Olympics in China; the video feeds were transported to NYC via trans-pacific fiber because it was cheaper than satellite. Some of the radio links still are in use in places that are too expensive to lay glass to; remote communities, rural areas, etc. These poor folks still have dial-up access to the 'net, unless they subscribe to satellite internet service (which has horrible latency if you're a gamer). Some of the links are still in use as a backup for critical customers that require more than redundant connectivity. What has really sealed wireless' fate is bandwidth. A single fiber routinely runs over a terrabit/sec these days, and the nodes in the network often enough pass data in the petabit/sec range. I work on this stuff for a living. I still find it fascinating that almost all of these towers are now bare, replaced by fiber. Even satellite has been replaced by fiber. I had signs taped to the floor, walls, and cabinets during the Olympics in China; the video feeds were transported to NYC via trans-pacific fiber because it was cheaper than satellite.

Some of the radio links still are in use in places that are too expensive to lay glass to; remote communities, rural areas, etc. These poor folks still have dial-up access to the ‘net, unless they subscribe to satellite internet service (which has horrible latency if you’re a gamer). Some of the links are still in use as a backup for critical customers that require more than redundant connectivity.

What has really sealed wireless’ fate is bandwidth. A single fiber routinely runs over a terrabit/sec these days, and the nodes in the network often enough pass data in the petabit/sec range.

]]> By: Incipient Madness http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1547054 Incipient Madness Tue, 02 Oct 2012 21:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1547054 If you like these old print ads, you'll love the ATT Tech Archive on Youtube. I came across it when I was looking at old videos about air defense systems in the late 1950's. Bell Labs worked on many of the Nike missile systems. http://www.youtube.com/user/ATTTechChannel If you like these old print ads, you’ll love the ATT Tech Archive on Youtube. I came across it when I was looking at old videos about air defense systems in the late 1950′s. Bell Labs worked on many of the Nike missile systems.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ATTTechChannel

]]> By: fuzzyfuzzyfungus http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1547034 fuzzyfuzzyfungus Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1547034 Given that glass suitable for low-attenuation fiber wasn't produced until 1970, and the combination of (relatively) cheap lasers and very pure fiber wasn't commercially available until the mid to late 70's, that was probably a non-question at the time... Once it matured, though, the matchup between the two technologies was a bit of a bloodbath. Given that glass suitable for low-attenuation fiber wasn’t produced until 1970, and the combination of (relatively) cheap lasers and very pure fiber wasn’t commercially available until the mid to late 70′s, that was probably a non-question at the time…

Once it matured, though, the matchup between the two technologies was a bit of a bloodbath.

]]> By: Scott Thrower http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1547020 Scott Thrower Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1547020 Terry Pratchett would roll over in his grave if he had one.  Clacks indeed. Terry Pratchett would roll over in his grave if he had one.  Clacks indeed.

]]> By: Kevin Pierce http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1546999 Kevin Pierce Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1546999 Nevermind the exposure to weather, bad airplane pilots and lightning strikes -- it can carry hundreds of calls!   But seriously, I wonder how much it costs to lay fiber compared to building monoliths.  Whereas additional fiber can be run through existing conduit to increase bandwidth, with towers, well, you need MORE  / BIGGER TOWERS! Nevermind the exposure to weather, bad airplane pilots and lightning strikes — it can carry hundreds of calls!   But seriously, I wonder how much it costs to lay fiber compared to building monoliths.  Whereas additional fiber can be run through existing conduit to increase bandwidth, with towers, well, you need MORE  / BIGGER TOWERS!

]]> By: fuzzyfuzzyfungus http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1546990 fuzzyfuzzyfungus Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:29:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1546990 Before optical fiber hit the scene, microwave backbone links were pretty serious business. Waveguides still crop up in certain niches; and 802.11b/g/n would like a word with you about the continued viability of microwave communications; but it is my understanding that microwave backbone arrangements like this were more or less wiped out. Before optical fiber hit the scene, microwave backbone links were pretty serious business. Waveguides still crop up in certain niches; and 802.11b/g/n would like a word with you about the continued viability of microwave communications; but it is my understanding that microwave backbone arrangements like this were more or less wiped out.

]]> By: Funk Daddy http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/new-skyway-spans-nation-with-w.html#comment-1546978 Funk Daddy Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=184936#comment-1546978 Wow. And if the network/broadcast went down we could just fall back on semaphore though it would drastically slow downloads. But hey, if orcs attacked they could light bonfires, at least Washington could be warned Wow.

And if the network/broadcast went down we could just fall back on semaphore though it would drastically slow downloads.

But hey, if orcs attacked they could light bonfires, at least Washington could be warned

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