When And Where The Internet Began
The history of the Internet depends upon whose version of history you read. Many have written stories of what they believe to be the origins of this revolutionary tool. I've read and researched a variety of articles over the last few years, and summarized a few of the major turning points. Here's my version of "The History of the Internet."
When The Internet Began
The Internet we know today had a very different objective from the original internet designed back in 1969. Initially, the Internet was intended to be a research test bed for network computing, communication protocols that would allow networked computers to communicate, and computer and data resource sharing. Makes sense, that groups of people wanted to share files and information. Credit for the first generation of the Internet is given to ARPANET — Advanced Research Project Agency Network — and was the result of defense department funding working together with dedicated computer scientists. Because of the dedication of these computer scientists, we now have the TCP/IP protocol suite.
The vision of networked computers began much earlier, when a series of articles was published by Dr. J.C.R. Licklider of MIT in 1962. The articles talked about a 'Galactic Network.' This Galactic Network was a concept where Licklider envisioned a globally interconnected community where the time sharing of programs, data, and information was commonplace. Later on, Licklider went on to become the first head of computer research at DARPA — Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. While there, he was successful at convincing his successors, Ivan Sutherland, Bob Taylor and MIT researcher Lawrence P. Roberts of the importance of this vision and work began to develop a time shared computer network.
The Timing Of The Internet
Certainly the timing of the Internet had come. Packet network technology was now more than a theory and in fact packet development conducted by MIT (1961-1967) the RAND Group (1962-1965) and by the NPL in the UK (1964-1967) had all been done simultaneously without the researchers knowing of each others work, or so it is said.
Leonard Klein at MIT published the first paper on packet switching theory in 1961 and later authored the first book on the subject in 1964. Due to his early development of packet switching theory, his Network Measurement Center at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) was selected as the first node in ARPANET. Not long after, Stanford Research Institute (SRI) was selected as the second node because of Doug Englebart's project on "Augmentation of Human Intellect" which included oNLine System (NLS) an early hypertext system. Shortly thereafter, the first host-to-host message was sent from UCLA. Later, two more nodes were added: UC Santa Barbara and the University of Utah.
Much to the surprise of those developing ARPANET, their computer network turned out to be something more than a means for computer to computer communication, and the most common use of ARPANET became human to human communication using electronic mail and discussion lists.
By 1971, ARPANET grew to 15 nodes including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), RAND, Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc. (BNN), Systems Development Corporation, Harvard, Lincoln Lab, UIU (C), CWRU, Carnegie-Mellon University and NASA/Ames.
ARPANET continued on as a means for computer scientist and academics to conduct research, and share research data. And in 1973, ARPANET made its first international connection to the University College of London and the Royal Establishment in Norway.
CSNet Is Introduced
ARPANET wasn't by any means a public network and many Computer Science departments didn't have the privilege of access. So, a new computer network was created by the U.S. National Science Foundation in the early 1980s as an alternative to ARPANET. This new network was the Computer Science Network (CSNet), and CSNet linked the Computer Science departments of any university or research institution together.
The two networks still were private and in 1986 the National Science Foundation funded yet another network (NSFNet). NSFNet launched with the intention of being an "open" network that would allow academic researchers' access to university and research institute supercomputers. NSFNet went online in 1986 and was the fastest network with a 56kbit/s backbone and NSFNet used the TCP/IP protocols. NSFNet was quickly popularized and in 1988 the network upgraded to a 1.5Mbit/s then again to 45Mbit/s in 1991.
Private Sector Networks
ARPANET and CSNet, although restricted, were however revolutionary and inspirational in their making. They led the private sector to develop and create similar type private networks and quickly Local Area Networks (LANs) were everywhere and shortly thereafter, Wide Area Networks (WANs) were common for large businesses until finally the reality of an 'Internet' or 'Galactic Network' emerged. And, with TCP/IP protocols used, many commercial networks were joined together in the US and Europe.
I'm not sure if the pioneers of the Internet had envisioned then how quickly the Internet would evolve, and now with the growing need for information in real time, enhancements continue to improve our 'galactic network'. Perhaps this was all part of Licklider's vision, but unfortunately, he passed away in 1990 and only witnessed the brink of the Internet age. Those of us who entered college in the early 1990's can remember how basic campus computer labs were at this time, and remember how fast computers, email and file sharing gained in popularity and function.
The Internet At Home
In the early 1990s, once the Internet became available to the masses, homes and small businesses were only a phone call away from becoming part of the Internet, through the use of dial up Internet access. At that time, the Internet was considered lightening fast when the 28.8 modem hit store shelves. The Internet had begun its migration from an academic resource pool to the commercial multimedia giant of today.
The Global Internet
Now, only a decade or so later, high speed Internet access is in nearly every corner of the globe. The need for an instant response from the Internet is increasingly important in the information age. It seems no one can resist the compelling urge to 'logon' and meander through the Internet searching for that special recipe or the latest book that can be delivered to your door. Shopping is much easier and the Internet even lets you travel to destinations like the Smithsonian and the Louver for a virtual tour or have groceries delivered to you home.
Licklider's 'galactic network' has reduced the distance of where we can go in the world today. With ever increasing resources available for students and the explosion of global virtual shopping centers, our 'galactic network' drives us to desire and expect more from our computers. Faster, safer and more reliable Internet service connections with high speed DSL, Cable broadband or satellite connections are readily available. Dial-up Internet service connections are still very popular, and today's Web Accelerators help speed up transfer rates for those who can't obtain broadband Internet access.
Today's Internet
The future of the Internet is anyone's guess. Now that we can deliver important e-mails to cellular phones or Personal Digital Assistant (PDAs), there's no telling just how far technology will take us. And the number of applications used on the Internet keeps expanding. With products like Voice over IP (VoIP) Internet Phone Calls, Internet Call Waiting and Caller ID, and Internet Faxing Services, our professional lives have become more automated and more 'instant' releasing us to become productive in other ways.
All the work and dedication that went into developing the Internet age has enabled us to live far differently, and some might think even better, than our forefathers expected. Telephony and Internet transport speeds are bound to be enhanced to provide even faster connections for dial up Internet access and home users. Already, with DS3 and fiber optic technology, our businesses have dedicated instant access to virtually anything they want to know.
A special thanks to those responsible for creating this newer 'galactic network' we call the Internet. To those of you researching the history of the Internet, I hope this article helps guide you to when and where the Internet began. As a final note, a cliff hanger of sorts, the Internet runs several applications. One of which we commonly refer to as the Web. The Web or "World Wide Web" was developed much later and is a principal feature of the Internet. The two however, are distinctly different.
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