[simtel20]

That was fine as long as the network was thinnet or thicknet as most universities probably were, because a well planned network would start at the hub and extend out and terminate. When networks became more based on 10baseT and you could add devices by just plugging a very cheap hub into a wall socket, and then plug another hub into that, for cheap, you could get loops more easily, and degraded broadcast quality, and that kills the entire network.

[icedchai]

Thinnet / thicknet were a maintenance nightmare though, compared to 10baseT. One loose tap or terminator would kill a whole segment.

[simtel20]

Yes, it was indeed! But the PITA-ness and need for termination meant that once it was planned and implemented, it was rarely monkeyed with for a while.