Re: Internet still reshaping history

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Bob Frankston" <bob2-39 () bobf frankston com>
Date: September 7, 2009 11:18:30 AM EDT
To: <dave () farber net>, "'ip'" <ip () v2 listbox com>
Subject: RE: [IP] Internet still reshaping history

Let’s not forget Memex as a big idea about information sharing. The  
CNet story focuses on the impact not the technology. Most of the real  
discussion is about the social Internet not the underlying protocols.

I too am very aware of the differences between the ARPANET and the  
Internet and share the concern about PR-driven history. But let’s be  
careful about what we are celebrating. What they have in common is the  
ability to simply connect computers across organizational and  
institutional boundaries. In a sense the Internet addressed a scaling  
problem faced by the Arpanet.

I would argue that the more significant transition has been from an  
academic (and government and a porous boundary) network to public  
infrastructure. Here we don’t have the convenience of a name change to  
mark the transition. This transition is about economics.

We got the web because of economics – the ability to communicate at  
zero (marginal) cost. We mustn’t let our focus on the technology make  
us lose sight of this aspect. We may have transitioned the technology  
of the Internet to the larger public arena but I argue we lost some of  
its soul.

At least the change between the Arpanet and the Internet was marked by  
a name change. We associate “The Internet” with the NoN (Network of  
Networks) Internet. We need to recognize that we are moving to the AC  
(Ambient Connectivity) Internet and that is something very different.  
(If we don’t let ourselves get sidetracked by the Broadband Internet).

What is important as we look ahead is less the Arpanet vs the Internet  
than different concepts of “Internet”.

In the meantime if people want to argue history have fun with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Internet 
.

http://frankston.com/public


From: David Farber [mailto:dave () farber net]
Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 09:45
To: ip
Subject: [IP] Internet still reshaping history



Begin forwarded message:

From: "David P. Reed" <dpreed () reed com>
Date: September 6, 2009 9:18:35 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Cc: ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
Subject: Re: [IP] Internet still reshaping history

The Internet, which was the idea that there could be one single  
interoperable network that transcended all others, was invented by Bob  
Kahn and Vint Cerf.   Others were involved - the idea of  
"internetworking" was flowering, but the timing was very clear - it  
happened in the middle of the decade of the '70's.  That was when the  
idea was reduced to practice.

It is true that in 1967-68, Taylor and Licklider wrote about a  
"network of networks" - this was a brilliant concept, but it was not  
yet reduced to practice.  Taylor and Licklider based their vision on  
the "mother of all demos" done by Doug Englebart at SRI.

Indeed, the idea of information sharing goes back farther.   Project  
MAC and the idea of a time-sharing system that allowed informatino  
sharing in a utility goes back to John McCarthy.

However, the idea that the ARPANET was an "Internet" is pretty  
wrong.   It was one of the threads creating the opportunity for the  
Internet.  But, if you want to find the beginning of packet-based  
communications, why not look at Sussenguth's commercialization of  
IBM's SNA.   Packets, of course, are not "internetworking".

The real problem with these "anniversaries" is that the idea of a big  
"ah-ha" by one lone inventor is the kind of stupid history that gets  
promoted by people who are too invested in their egos.   Almost every  
good idea is the evolutionary result of many, ,many progenitors.

On 09/06/2009 04:42 PM, David Farber wrote:
Why do people say the internet is 40 years old. Is the Arpanet the  
Internet -- I think not. djf



Begin forwarded message:

From: Suzanne Johnson <fuhn () pobox com>
Date: September 6, 2009 4:38:05 PM EDT
To: Dave () farber net
Subject: Internet still reshaping history



At 40, the Internet still reshaping history
by Stephen Shankland

At the time, it would have been hard to predict which of these events  
40 years ago would prove to be most momentous:

* Humans step out of a spaceship and walk on the moon.
* The Woodstock concert becomes a seminal cultural moment for the baby- 
boomer generation.
* A New York City police raid leads to the Stonewall riots and modern  
gay-rights movement.
* A handful of engineers at UCLA send some data from one computer to  
another.

You may disagree, but in my opinion, it's the last of the list: four  
decades ago today, the Internet was born.
....clip......

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-10323175-264.html?tag=rtcol;inTheNewsNow




-------------------------------------------
Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now
RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/
Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com


Archives






-------------------------------------------
Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now
RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/
Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com