Around the World in….0.3 Seconds?!

Patients…how much patients do you have? (Not the type of patients in which doctors take care of btw) This was a question that I thought of when I was in my lecture the other day. The lecturer was making the point of how we seem to think that the internet will always work and when it doesn’t, we start to become less tolerant. For example, when a web page loads just that 0.15274634856293760983 seconds slower (or maybe not loading at all) or when the computer freezes, we get a little grumpy.

So I want to tell you a very very very very very very simplified version on how you actually get a web page on your screen and don’t worry, I will try to explain as much as possible afterwards.

So here’s my very very very very very simplified version:

your computer -> n x router hops -> Server -> n x router hops -> your computer

Simple enough?   Yes? You’re a genius =D

                           No? Then unfortunately, no cookie for you =P

For those who don't quite understand, let me break it down for you *starts dancing*

In the picture above, your request for the page, in this case my example is Youtube

1. It starts with my computer (my IP address which I’ve blurred for all the stalkers out there =P)

2. It will hop to my gateway 10.20.21.105 (this basically joins 2 networks together)

3. Then hop to the TPG server in your area (or whatever company you’re with)

4. Then hop to the Melbourne TPG server

5. Then hop to the Sydney TPG server

6. It will hop to router 202.7.171.46

7. It will hop to router 66.249.95.232

8. It will hop to router 72.14.237.55

9. The last hop goes to the server which is located in Sydney and request for the web page Youtube

The 3 columns that you see is the time required to reach the destination (3 columns because by default 3 request will be sent), in this case it took 35 milliseconds to reach the destination and back.

So what is your point you may be asking. Good question! Let me get back to you on that....














I'm kidding!

What I want to say is that a lot of things happen behind the scenes once your press that enter button on your browser. Your request for the web page travels, in this case, Melbourne to Sydney in just 35 milliseconds. I wish I could go from Melbourne to Sydney in less than 1 second so I wouldn’t have to put up with airplane food --“ I also did another test and it took the request a maximum of 1.7 seconds (lowest was 0.328 seconds) to travel to United Kingdom and 0.186 seconds to travel to California!

We just need to be happy that the internet works (well most of the time) and it actually does exists but it’s not perfect. Can you imagine one day if Google didn’t work? Or if you can never watch videos like this again?

On a side note,
To that lady on the train who was shaking her phone every time she wanted Facebook to load a page.

Also for those who want to try, just open your command prompt (you can find it in the folder in
programs --> accessories from the start menu or go to run and type in cmd). Once the command prompt shows, type in tracert *webpage you want to go* or just follow from the example picture above. =)

Until next time,

HamsterG

Pictures and video credit to rightful owners 

Table Manners

Hey yo everybody! I have been quite busy as of late and subsequently have had no time to comment, reply, and write posts.  Thankfully though, the storm is beginning to calm towards the end of the year and my busy schedule in the past couple of months has left me an abundance of opportunities to conduct mental experiments on the smallest parts of our everyday lives.

Table Servicing

Thanks to my extra shifts for work, Pui has had the luxury of playing "let's pretend I'm a rich person" and has begun visiting more fine dining restaurants. Just in case some of you are unfamiliar with the term 'fine dining', I have comprised an inaccurate (but equally relevant...at least for this post) and mostly true definition.

Fine Dining - Pui's Dictionary of me

A process in which an individual (classified mainly by 3 categories*) decides to dress up nicely (with a collared shirt/dress sometimes even with a tie!) and dines (but of course ) at a fancy looking restaurant (complete with dim lighting, candles and maybe even a rose) with waiters and waitresses who actually respond to your needs and requests (who will also assist you in the multiple sets of cutlery whilst playing classical music, or of the likes, so long as it's not your usual radio pop). By the end of the meal, the individual will feel a shitload poorer.

*some of these people will believe they're moving up in the social world, some may think it's just a phase they're going through, while others, yet, believe this is an overcompensation or a desperate cry for help.

Any how, indulging into these modern society food traps, Pui began to notice an absurd pattern emerging. when you're just an average person, sucked into believing you're something a little more than that, you end up being forced to order things that you probably never intended. It's subtle, it's sly, but I've caught on! This is usually what goes down from the moment you step inside the restaurant:

Step 1
You walk into the store, dressed up in all your fancy clothes.

Immediately, the mechanized waiters/waitresses scan you up and down with their well equipped laser vision.

Then, they smile.

They smile because they now know how to squeeze every. last. drop. of penny out of you.

Step 2
You will be lured to your table, and a golden embroidered menu would be placed before you. All the while,  s m i l i n g . Always, always smiling.

Just fucking with you, why would it be gold embroidered? It would be crafted from 24 carot gold.

The prices wouldn't even be written in arabic numbers, not even roman numerals. They'll be in bars of gold, diamonds, jewelery and in some other restaurants, they have a special pricing list demonstrating pictures of body parts and/or organs.

Step 3
Amazed by the luxurious sounding names on the menu, and dumbfounded by perplexing pricing options, you will inevitably end up  ordering a 3-course meal tha tyou havent even heard of.

Then, your waiter/waitress will lean in close, with the eerie inhuman smile, and ask:

 

 

Taken by surprise you open the drinks menu up and try to quickily look for the cheapest drink possible, or you might even decline.

Well of course they would know. Just to not appear like an ignorant person, you take what they suggest.

Step 4
After successfully pressuring you into buying coffee/tea more drinks and desserts. The waiter/waitress finally decides to give you the bill.

You pay it...or you labour for the restaurant. But, before that, the waiter/waitress attacks again.

SUDDENLY you remember all the overly attentive table service you received from them.
Like how they lurk nearby until you've taken a few bites of your meal. Then they swarm you.

 What do you mean "How has my meal been?" or "How has everythign been?". Is it even socially acceptable to say no? Perhaps you decide to be challenging that day and look right in their eyes with a defiant "No". It's a trap.

You cower and succumb to it. There is no way you can say no. Quietly and shamefully, you smile and mutter a barely audible 'Yes, everything's been great!"

And so, you end up tipping them more than you normally would've. For those who don't normally tip. That's like infinitely times more.

These days, I constantly fantasize about heroically telling the waiters that everything is NOT OK. Flipping the table and demanding a free meal. Sadly, my fine dining explorations may be perfectly described by this exact line my friend said (as he swirls his overpriced wine in the glass): I don't know what good wine tastes like...but I feel classy doing this!

-Pui.x