The effect of internet delay on the perceived quality of information

From the early days of personal computing, system response times have been shown to significantly affect user frustration, annoyance, and perception of the usability of computer systems. Despite reports that complaints about system response time on the Internet are prevalent, the effects of Internet delays on users have not been assessed in an empirical manner. This research is the first to empirically investigate how network latency affects the perceived usability of information provided on the Internet. Analyses of covariance were utilized to establish statistically significant relationships between delay length, the manner in which information is presented, and various facets of perceived usability of the Internet.