A Very Brief History of A Very Brief History of the Internetthe Internet

The early development of The early development of what became the Internet.what became the Internet.

In 1957, the Department of Defense In 1957, the Department of Defense founded the Advanced Research Projects founded the Advanced Research Projects Agency. By early 1960s, it was exploring Agency. By early 1960s, it was exploring the “networking” of DOD computers and the “networking” of DOD computers and the possibility of constructing what J.C.R. the possibility of constructing what J.C.R. Licklider of MIT deemed a “Galactic Licklider of MIT deemed a “Galactic Network”. After long planning, first host Network”. After long planning, first host computer was connected in 1969. computer was connected in 1969.

WHY BUILD THIS SORT OF NETWORK WHY BUILD THIS SORT OF NETWORK ??

ARPAnet was ARPAnet was a distributed networka distributed network

To send files, applications, etc. via To send files, applications, etc. via this distributed network, ARPAnet this distributed network, ARPAnet relied on “packet switching”relied on “packet switching”

Avoid bottlenecks and long Avoid bottlenecks and long queues.queues.

Meant that even in the event of a Meant that even in the event of a nuclear attack on computing “hubs”, nuclear attack on computing “hubs”, communication would still be communication would still be possible possible

By early 70s, ARPAnet enabled By early 70s, ARPAnet enabled researchers andresearchers and military to military to communicate via a distributed communicate via a distributed network. First “electronic mail”.network. First “electronic mail”.

As Jordan (cited in Bell 13) puts it:As Jordan (cited in Bell 13) puts it:

The key point about email is that rather The key point about email is that rather than people using ARPANET to communicate than people using ARPANET to communicate with computers, as the designers had with computers, as the designers had expected, people used it to communicate expected, people used it to communicate with other people.with other people.

By By 19821982, National Science Foundation , National Science Foundation invested in high-speed communications invested in high-speed communications network (of T1 lines) to link major research network (of T1 lines) to link major research universities.( Military uses of ARPAnet were universities.( Military uses of ARPAnet were transitioned to MILNET). transitioned to MILNET).

In In 19871987, NSF took over funding and , NSF took over funding and maintenance of Internet backbone. maintenance of Internet backbone.

In In 1988 and 891988 and 89, , MCI Mail and CompuServe, first MCI Mail and CompuServe, first formally sanctioned commercial email carriers connected formally sanctioned commercial email carriers connected to the Internetto the Internet

Also in Also in 19891989, The World Comes On Line, , The World Comes On Line, first public first public

dial-up Internet Service Providerdial-up Internet Service Provider.. In 1990,In 1990, ARPAnet decommissioned. ARPAnet decommissioned. Late 80s, early 90s:Late 80s, early 90s: Internet Relay Chat (IRC), Internet Relay Chat (IRC),

Usenet, multi-user domains (MUDS). Establishment of Usenet, multi-user domains (MUDS). Establishment of Domain Name System (“ac” for academic; “com” for Domain Name System (“ac” for academic; “com” for commercial, “gov” for government, etc.). commercial, “gov” for government, etc.).

In 1991, HTML (In 1991, HTML (HyperText Markup LanguageHyperText Markup Language) invented by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN. ) invented by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN. Allows for creation of Allows for creation of web pagesweb pages. World . World Wide Web introduced to the public. Wide Web introduced to the public.

Meant to facilitate a nonhierarchical system Meant to facilitate a nonhierarchical system of storing, distributing and retrieving of storing, distributing and retrieving important information. important information.

Using Uniform Resource Locators (URLS), Using Uniform Resource Locators (URLS), Internet users could quickly locate Web Internet users could quickly locate Web Pages, offered up by Web Servers, anywhere Pages, offered up by Web Servers, anywhere on the network. on the network.

Also in 1991, NSF began allowing Also in 1991, NSF began allowing unrestricted (or relatively unrestricted) unrestricted (or relatively unrestricted) commercial use of the Internet. commercial use of the Internet.

1993, first Web Browser, Mosaic, made available to 1993, first Web Browser, Mosaic, made available to public free of charge. In 1994, Netscape released. public free of charge. In 1994, Netscape released.

In 1995, NSF handed over maintenance of Internet In 1995, NSF handed over maintenance of Internet infrastructure to group of private enterprises (MCI, AT&T, infrastructure to group of private enterprises (MCI, AT&T, Ameritech).Ameritech).

Network service providers sell access to local service Network service providers sell access to local service providers, colleges, businesses etc. Commercialization of providers, colleges, businesses etc. Commercialization of the Internet expodes:the Internet expodes:1995. Yahoo, Ebay and Amazon.com founded. 1995. Yahoo, Ebay and Amazon.com founded.

1995-2000. Internet stocks soar to record heights. Then, 1995-2000. Internet stocks soar to record heights. Then, on April 4, 2000, the Internet bubble bursts and the on April 4, 2000, the Internet bubble bursts and the Nasdaq falls 500 points in a single day. Nasdaq falls 500 points in a single day.

2002. Amazon.com finally turns a profit. 2002. Amazon.com finally turns a profit. The number of Web sites has grown from just 130 in The number of Web sites has grown from just 130 in

1993 to more than 40 million in 2003. 1993 to more than 40 million in 2003.

GovernanceGovernance

As the internet has evolved, the As the internet has evolved, the various bodies governing it have various bodies governing it have evolved too: the Internet Activities evolved too: the Internet Activities Board, the Internet Working Group, Board, the Internet Working Group, the Internet Society and, most the Internet Society and, most recently, the World Wide Web recently, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Consortium (W3C).

The role of government policyThe role of government policy

Telecomm policy.Telecomm policy. Cable policy.Cable policy. The Telecomm Act of 1996.The Telecomm Act of 1996. The Net Neutrality DebateThe Net Neutrality Debate

How Many of You Have Heard of How Many of You Have Heard of Network Neutrality? Network Neutrality?

Concept that:Concept that: 1. Anyone who has Internet access should be able 1. Anyone who has Internet access should be able

to use any application and attach any device to use any application and attach any device they want to the network.they want to the network.

2. That Internet access providers and the owners of 2. That Internet access providers and the owners of the telecomm infrastructurethe telecomm infrastructure

not be able to discriminate against any legal not be able to discriminate against any legal Internet content. That all packets be delivered Internet content. That all packets be delivered using a “first in, first out” method at the using a “first in, first out” method at the maximum speed possible given network maximum speed possible given network constraints. constraints.

3. That telecommunication infrastructures cannot 3. That telecommunication infrastructures cannot give preferential treatment to particular kinds of give preferential treatment to particular kinds of content. content.

ATT and other Telecomm ATT and other Telecomm Companies want to eliminate Net Companies want to eliminate Net

Neutrality. WHY?Neutrality. WHY?

Because they want to give Because they want to give preferential treatment to their own preferential treatment to their own content and applications.content and applications.

Because there is money to be made Because there is money to be made in creating a “tiered” Internet where in creating a “tiered” Internet where both Web content providers and both Web content providers and users have to pay to get on the fast users have to pay to get on the fast lane. lane.

The State of the DebateThe State of the Debate

Brand X.Brand X. COPE.COPE. Snow-Dorgan Bill (Internet Freedom Snow-Dorgan Bill (Internet Freedom

Preservation Act ) Preservation Act )