Transcript History of the Internet

History of the Internet
Origins
• Late 1950’s: invention of the modem:
modulator-demodulator or digital to analog
• ARPA (Advanced Research Projects
Agency) formed in 1958.
• ARPA created to bolster national defense,
but also as a way to carry out open ended
research. (Eisenhower believed in science.)
The Development of Ideas.
• Joseph Licklider conceived the vision for the
Internet: he researched time-sharing, so that
several users could access one computer .
He also contacted universities and research
centers to interest them in connecting all of
their computers.
• In the 1960’s, Ted Nelson developed the
idea of hyperlinks.
Early Innovations
• In 1964, American Airlines develop
SABRE, the first computerized Airline
Reservation System.
• In 1969, ARPAnet, the first multicomputer
network was created. There were four sites:
UC-Santa Barbara, UCLA, SRI
International, and the University of Utah.
By 1971, 19 other sites have joined.
Early Internet
• In 1971, the first e-mail is sent with a program
called CPYNET (“copynet”).
• In 1972, ARPAnet exhibited at International
Conference on Computer Communications.
• In 1973, PLATO was developed which is an early
model for threaded online discussions.
Talkomatic/Personal Notes/Group Notes
• In 1975, the MITS Altair 8800 first personal
computer is invented and sold.
Internet reaches the Public
• In 1975, news stories lead to the public having
general knowledge of the ARPAnet.
• In 1978, the first message bulletin board system is
created.
• In 1979, first MUD (multiuser dimension or
multiuser domain or multiuser dungeon) is created
at Essex University, which is linked to ARPAnet
by 1980. (text only)
• USENET created in 1979 by students at Duke and
University of North Carolina. The resulting
discussions are called “newsgroups.”
Further Advancements
• In 1981, Ted Nelson’s Xanadu. A hypertext
database is developed (but never marketed),
but creates the basis for the web.
• In 1984, the Apple Macintosh debuts with a
graphical interface. (Xerox PARC)
Modern Internet I
• By the late 1980’s, the Internet had 60,000
members, still mostly associated with the military,
college or corporations.
• In 1986, NSFnet is created (National Science
Foundation) to help college and research
institutions without the funds to be members of
APRAnet. In 1989, there are over 100,000 sites.
• Internet worm released at Cornell by Robert
Morris to attack Sendmail. Duplicates itself on
computers and crashes 10% of computers
connected to internet.
Modern Internet II
• In 1983, FidoNet (a BBS) spreads the popularity
of BBSs and bring networking to elementary and
secondary schools. Freenets (first in Cleveland)
are accessible to anyone with computer and
modem. Provides e-mail, discussion boards, chat,
and local information
• The Well (Whole Earth ‘Lectronic Link: “You
own your own words.”) and AOL were formed as
BBSs. AOL was meant to be easy from the start.
The Web is Weaved
• In 1991, Tim Berners-Lee, at the European
Laboratory for Particle Physics, created HTTP
(hypertext transfer protocol), HTML (hypertext
markup language) and URL (universal resource
location). The whole system was named the world
wide web.
• Commercial traffic could use the Internet, but the
Internet couldn’t “come to them.” The acceptable
use policy is modified in 1992. By 1995, the
NSFnet is dissolved as commercial networks take
over most of the Internet traffic.
Internet Tools
• Gopher (1992) allows users to search for
information, creating an index of sources. But, the
web is quickly preferred.
• As the web takes off, browsers are written. The
first were called Erwise, Midas, Cello, etc.. These
led to Mosaic, which led to Netscape and Internet
Explorer. (Now: Mosaic is back, as is
Macintosh’s Safari.)
Early Web
• In 1994, World Wide Web Consortium is created
to promote web. (standards and specifications)
• In 1994, shopping malls, banks, and radio stations
all come to the web. Yahoo! is created.
• In 1997, AOL loses a class-action suit after
offering unlimited internet access and not able to
meet expectations (busy signals and crashes).
• Late 1990’s: start-up web companies.
How It Works Now
• Loose organization of networks.
• Government still pays for some of the
backbone. There is an Internet2 for use by
some universities (very fast.)
• ISP (Internet Service Providers) provide
monthly internet access.