On: The web sucks if you have a slow connection

[andyana]

He mentions packet loss of 10%. That's a different problem than a slow connection.

[falcolas → andyana]

High packet loss and slow connections frequently go hand in hand (TCP over cellular modems).

This effect is exacerbated if the web site you're connecting to changes congestion control and TCP ramp up settings.

[phil21 → falcolas]

10% packet loss though typically is the threshold of "completely unusable" TCP connections. Depends of course, but 5% I generally think of "severely degraded" (e.g. ssh being almost unusable but still able to get some basic stuff done during a sev0) and 10% being "drive on-location because you aren't getting anything done" territory.

[andyana → falcolas]

Exactly, but it's not a modern website problem.

[falcolas → andyana]

How is it not a modern website problem, if that modern website is being viewed over wireless connections, and follows Google's lead in disabling slow start TCP?