The Metcalf's Law states that a networks value is directly proportional to the square of the number of nodes in that network. The nodes can be servers or computers.
The theory was given by George Gilder in 1993. The law characterizes the various network effects of the networks and communication technologies such as World Wide Web, Social Networking and Internet.
This law is often explained with fax machines.
A single fax machine is not of much value but the value of each fax machine increases if there are more fax machines in the network.
Similarly in the social network the value of the service increases with the increase in the number of the users.
Metcalfe's law was developed by George Gilder and is credited to Robert Metcalfe, inventor of Ethernet (1980). It refers to the increase in the number of contacts and to the importance.
In spite of the fact that even the Internet, as we understand it today, was not present when the legislation was introduced, it talked more about the importance of computers in general. For eg, it would be pointless to own a mere fax machine. One may connect with another person if there are 2 fax machines, and since there are thousands, the computer has some meaning.
In the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the policy of segregation in schools was unconstitutional. One result of this ruling was that more schools were integrated.
