these technologies and their organizational counterparts were not only created to make a faster alternative to the internet. many fields have been able to use the abilene network to foster creativity, research, and development in a way that was not previously possible. users of poor quality libraries can now download not only text but sound recordings, animations, videos, and other resources, which would be otherwise unavailable. another application is the robust video conferencing now available to internet2 participants. neurosurgeons can now video conference with other experts in the field during an operation in a high resolution format with no apparent time lag.