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From: cliff@violet.berkeley.edu (Cliff Frost)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: Why Ethernet-over-twisted-pair, anyway?
Keywords: Ethernet, twisted pair, cost-benefit
Message-ID: <1989Nov28.013425.16052@agate.berkeley.edu>
Date: 28 Nov 89 01:34:25 GMT
References: <4645@blake.acs.washington.edu>
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I think the biggest loss with pulling thinnet to offices is when you
think of the future.  What happens when people change offices and someone
moves in where you put thinnet.  Well, if the new occupant(s) happen to
want thinnet then you're fine.  If they want something else you're going
to have to pull something else.  The labor costs quickly dwarf any
material costs.

Today there isn't much you can't do with twisted pair, including
thick ethernet transceiver cable, MacIntoshes and PCs, IBM 3270 type
terminals, etc.

(I used to assume that FDDI would mean pulling fiber through the walls,
but I've heard a rumor that at least one company is planning to try to
design gear that uses twisted pair to the workstation for FDDI.  If this
can be done it'll be worth a bundle, you'd only have to pull the fiber
into your phone closets.)

In your case, since you're working from a very small perspective, 
then you may not care about the costs of pulling wires again and again.

	Cliff Frost
	Central Computing Services
	UC Berkeley

Re:
In article <4645@blake.acs.washington.edu> djo7613@blake.acs.washington.edu (Dick O'Connor) writes:
>OK, Ethernet-over-twisted-pair fans, why is this innovation something to
>get excited over?  From theoretical or practical standpoints, why is 
>this new standard a boon to PC networking?
> ...