Metcalfe's Law
Robert Metcalfe posits that:
The value of a network grows as the square of the number of users
Historically, a prime example of this is the phone network: A telephone is of no use if you're the only person in the world who has one. But as more and more people get telephones, the value of your device increases dramatically. In more recent times, Metcalfe's Law has been used to describe the growth of the Internet.
Additional resources
Metcalfe's Law and Legacy
Forbes ASAP, 09/13/93.
Less Than Metcalfe's Law
The contrarian view: "I'm sick and tired of hearing about how Metcalfe's Law describes the power and value of the internet. It is an abused concept."
Comments:
Metcalfe's Law overstates things
by John Soellner
My own take on <a href=" http://www.designcrux.netfirms.com/metcalfelaw.html">Metcalfe's law</a> is it is far too primitive. Interaction design is completely neglected as, apparently being able to use the network is irrelevant. Finally, I list research on Metcalfe's law which indicate it is substantially overstated in actual practice.
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