Abstract: A method for operating a server on a computer network to supply data stored on the server in response to requests received on the network. The server stores the requests in a queue and determines a priority value for the request. The priority value includes the sum of a counter value and a cost value, the cost value being monotonically related to the quantity of server resources needed to service the request. When the server selects one of the requests stored in the queue for servicing it picks the request having the lowest priority value of the requests stored in the queue. The selected request is removed from the queue and the counter value is incremented by a value proportional to the cost value associated with the request selected for servicing. In one embodiment, the cost value is proportional to the length of a file specified in the received request. In one embodiment, one of the received requests also includes information specifying a class for the request.