Network Protocols: Myths, Missteps, and Mysteries

  • Radia Perlman | EMC Corporation

In the field of computer networks, and undoubtedly in other engineering fields, a lot of what “everybody knows” is … not true. The field tends to be taught as if the currently deployed standards arrived, completely perfect, nothing else ever existed, and what is important is to memorize their exact details. Buzzwords get invented, and nobody realizes they are reinventing (usually less well), concepts that have existed before. The main point of the lecture is to foster critical thinking. This lecture will explain some ways misconceptions come about, and will give some examples of current hot buzzwords that do not actually represent anything new.

Speaker Details

In the field of computer networks, and undoubtedly in other engineering fields, a lot of what “everybody knows” is … not true. The field tends to be taught as if the currently deployed standards arrived, completely perfect, nothing else ever existed, and what is important is to memorize their exact details. Buzzwords get invented, and nobody realizes they are reinventing (usually less well), concepts that have existed before. The main point of the lecture is to foster critical thinking. This lecture will explain some ways misconceptions come about, and will give some examples of current hot buzzwords that do not actually represent anything new.

    • Portrait of Jeff Running

      Jeff Running

Series: Microsoft Research Talks