Subject: router vs switch

From: "Mike O'Dell" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 18:00:12 -0500 (EST)

once upon a time, when routers ran at significantly less
than wire-speed, people trying to build fast "packet
flangers" wanted a term to differentiate their go-fast
box from the "legacy" go-slow boxes.

as Vern pointed out, that distinction is now specious, at best
(a most charitable description)

i submit the continuing popularity of the term "switch" is
mostly linguistic.

"router" has two syllables and at least two pronunciations
as well as carrying some emotional stygma from the above-
mentioned exercise in new-speak.

"switch" is easier to say and is subconsciously euphoneous
with "speed" (at least in English - the lingua franca of
marketing blather), so people still like "switch"

how's that for pointless speculation?

	-mo