[e2e] Are we doing sliding window in the Internet?

[Detlef Bosau]

Jim Gettys wrote:
>
>
> I have to fundamentally disagree when it comes to systems research.
>
> If you are doing research into *systems*, an academic exercise using a
> marginal system can only be justified if you are trying a *fundamental*
> change to that system, and *must* start from scratch.  Most systems
> research does not fall into that category.
>
>   

What do you mean by "research into systems"? The term "system" extremely 
general.

> Doing such work outside the context of a current system invalidates the
> results as you cannot inter compare the results you get with any sort of
> "control".  This is the basis of doing experimental science.  Giving me
>   
Why does research "outside the context" of a current system invalidate 
results? Could you perhaps provide a concrete example for this?

> results that some "improvement" helps Linux 2.4.24, when current Linux
> is 2.6.19, or whatever, essentially invalidates the result, due to the
> extensive changes between versions.
>
> Much of why Van's research was able to be taken seriously by the Linux
> community and has had impact was precisely in that he had done the work
> on a recent version of Linux (independent of whether the code was ever
>   

One prominent example for Van´s research is the congavoid paper. Linux 
did not yet exist when this work was done.
Does that invalidate this work?