Complex network diagrams typically involve specific place of icons, connections and labels using a tool like Visio or OmniGraffle using a mouse and constantly zooming in and out for single pixel placement. The goal behind drawthe.net, was to be able to describe the digram in a text file and have it rendered in SVG in the browser.

I simply wanted to be able to draw network diagrams as fast as it could be done on a dry-erase board without using a mouse.