Sue,

An interesting philosophical question but the answer I am afraid is somewhat
akin to Schrodinger's Cat.  

In technical terms data travels through a variety of systems wireless, in
the case of wifi, cellular, satellites, copper wires and fiber optics. The
use of a single method of transport is exceptionally rare as the midpoints
often involve a mix.  Light in fiberoptics is commonly converted to some
form of electronic signal and than regenerated as light to amplify the
signal along the way, etc.

So at given transfer points a bit of the data (as communication does not
necessarily flow as one but as packets each of which may take a different
route) may even for a nanosecond have more than one manifestation as the
packet is picked up from one element of the network and converted to another
for example in an optical switch.  In this regard the "net" is more like a
plasma than a standard plumbing network of pipes and flows.

I would take a bit more than a weekend to mull over the philosophical
ramifications of packet flows so I will have to get back to you with a more
coherent response, but hopefully this is a start.  I see several respondents
have suggested technical sources for information on the plumbing so I will
leave it at that.

Yoram
 

*************************************
Yoram Chisik
DCD candidate and sandwich maker extraordinaire
UB - School of Information Arts and Technologies
Free advice and opinions - refunds available. 
http://iat.ubalt.edu/chisik


-----Original Message-----
From: Mapping and visualising Internet infrastructure and Web space
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sue Thomas
Sent: 28 May 2005 15:25
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Cyberspatial question for the holiday weekend

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Can anyone point me to research
on the following question:

If I throw a ball to you, we know that it passes through the air between us.
(unless we are in a vacuum, in which case we would both be dead etc etc)

Q: When a data packet 'travels' from one node to the next, does it pass
through anything? What is between the nodes? I know transfer is very fast
but nevertheless it is still transfer so there must be a point where it is
in neither place so it must be somewhere else. Shouldn't it? Or have I
misunderstood?

All hypotheses welcome. Preferably those I can understand ;)

Sue

http://travelsinvirtuality.typepad.com