netburp networking, chat
(Or "netsplit") When netlag gets really bad, and delays between IRC servers exceed a certain threshhold, the network effectively becomes partitioned for a period of time, and large numbers of people seem to be signing off at the same time and then signing back on again when things get better. An instance of this is called a "netburp" (or, sometimes, netsplit).
[The Jargon File]
(1996-06-04)