that MIT paper again

Sat Aug 7 16:55:00 UTC 2004

i wrote:

> wrt the mit paper on why small ttl's are harmless, i recommend that
> y'all actually read it, the whole thing, plus some of the references,
> rather than assuming that the abstract is well supported by the body.
> 
> http://nms.lcs.mit.edu/papers/dns-imw2001.html

here's what i've learned by watching nanog's reaction to this paper, and
by re-reading the paper itself.

1. almost nobody has time to invest in reading this kind of paper.
2. almost everybody is willing to form a strong opinion regardless of that.
3. people from #2 use the paper they didn't read in #1 to justify an opinion.

4. folks who need academic credit will write strong self-consistent papers.
5. those papers do not have to be inclusive or objective to get published.
6. on the internet, many folks by nature "think locally and act globally".

7. #6 includes manufacturers, operators, endusers, spammers, and researchers.
8. the confluence of bad science and disinterested operators is disheartening.
9. good "actual policy" must often fly in the face of "accepted mantra".

we now return control of your television set to you.