Calif. Firm Has Software To Pinpoint Internet Snags; Program Touted as Way to Monitor Providers

When your Internet connection slows to a crawl, who's toblame? Your computer? Your Internet service provider? The firmsthat operate the big coast-to-coast data lines? The computer at theother end?

In the World Wide Web's short but storied history, it's beenvirtually impossible for the average consumer to know. But now, in adevelopment some industry watchers say could have broad effects onthe Internet-service business, a small company here calledVitalSigns Software Inc. says it has developed an effectivefinger-pointing tool.

It's a piece of software that runs on a personal computer anddisplays, in the corner of the user's screen, the performance of anInternet connection. If bottlenecks occur, the product, calledNet.Medic, will indicate where they are, whether along a simplephone connection or inside sophisticated routing computers at theperson's Internet provider, the company said.In recent months, a growing chorus of computer users havecomplained of slowdowns on the Internet. Many industry experts havesaid a convergence of factors -- including overloaded Internetservice providers, congested data lines and crowded Web sites --have been responsible for the problem.VitalSigns' chief executive, Montgomery Kersten, promoted theproduct, which was released today on the Web, as a "Darwinianaccelerator" for the Internet, holding service providers and Website operators responsible for managing usage."In the past, it's been impossible to know for sure who arethe strong performers and who are the weak ones," said Kersten."This will bring about some natural evolution. The weak Internetproviders will be drummed out by the strong ones."Some analysts say that may be overstating things a bit, butthey agree that the software could put an unprecedented level ofinformation at the fingertips of Internet users."It will give them more intelligence then they've ever hadbefore," said Ted Julian, an analyst with market research firmInternational Data Corp. in Framingham, Mass.The product, developed in conjunction with researchers fromBoston University, analyzes data sent over the Internet, which istransmitted in "packets." Each packet, Kersten said, can be studiedto deduce how much time it spent at various digital intersectionsbetween the origin and destination.The software can also generate what's in essence a form letterof complaint, listing the specific technical problem, that the usercan send to the responsible party.Although there are scores of other diagnostic software toolsfor networks on the market, few evaluate the performance of a totalInternet connection.News of the software generated mixed reviews from Internetservice providers today. "Certainly it's a good idea for customersto know why something's taking longer than they expected to load,"said Mike O'Dell, a vice president and chief scientist at UUNetTechnologies Inc., a Fairfax-based Internet provider. "But networksare complex things and products like this may mislead people."The product will be offered for free in a 30-day trial onVitalSigns' Web site. After that it will be sold for $49 a copy, butpeople will be able to use basic features of the software for free.The company, founded in 1996 by executives from the computernetworking company Bay Networks Inc., is developing a version forcorporations to evaluate the performance of their internal datanetworks.Kersten said the company already has reached partnershipagreements with Silicon Valley giants Oracle Corp. and NetscapeCommunications Corp. to sell Net.Medic.