Product Description

In the 1960s, when computers were regarded as giant calculators, J.C.R. Licklider at MIT saw them as the ultimate communication device. With Defence Department funds, he and a band of computer whizzes began work on a nationwide network of computers. This is an account of their daring adventure.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #143550 in Books
• Published on: 1998-09-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Considering that the history of the Internet is perhaps better documented internally than any other technological construct, it is remarkable how shadowy its origins have been to most people, including die-hard Net-denizens!

At last, Hafner and Lyon have written a well-researched story of the origins of the Internet substantiated by extensive interviews with its creators who delve into many interesting details such as the controversy surrounding the adoption of our now beloved "@" sign as the separator of usernames and machine addresses. Essential reading for anyone interested in the past--and the future--of the Net specifically, and telecommunications generally.

With the incredible growth of the Internet in the 1990s and revolutions occurring almost daily, it is easy to overlook the origins of this cultural phenomenon. Katie Hafner and Matthew Lyon have captured the history of the Internet in this solid account. They explain the system's genesis as a device to link computer resources around the country--not to prepare communications for nuclear war strikes as is often thought--and how, as with many of us, e-mail was the application of choice for many users. It also tells of the story of the buttoned-up engineers who invented the Internet- -in contrast to the late-night hackers who pushed its evolution. In all, an interesting history about a medium that has fostered an aversion to the past.

From the Author
justified
Myself and my co-author spent many arduous evenings and nights fretting over the outcome of this book. However, I can finally say that both myself and Matthew are thoroughly pleased with the results and especially the response from readers. THANK YOU

Customer Reviews

Internet is older than you thought
This is an excellent book for all those who would guess that Bolt, Beranek and Newman is a law firm. It may sound like one, but it isn't. BBN - now a subsidiary of GTE/Verizon - is a company which is most intimately tied to the birth of what is nowadays known as the internet. And if the BBN's marketing guys would have been half as good as their engineers, we would probably hear a lot more about BBN today and less about, say, Cisco.

In a clear and highly readable style, Hafner and Lyon have covered the history of the packet switching networks with encyclopedic breadth. You'll learn both about the early theoretical fathers of packet switching, like Paul Baran and Donald Davies; you have the people in the DoD's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) like Joseph Licklider, Bob Taylor or Larry Roberts, who not only had a grand view of computer networking or obtained the necessary governmental funding, but were also able to specify their wishes precisely enough that the engineers were able to build the network based on their plans. And finally, there is Frank Heart's team at BBN, guys who actually built the darn thing.

The subtitle - The origins of the internet - is well chosen. Most of the book focuses on the years 1968-1972, from Roberts' draft proposal, to the 1972 international conference on computer communication. Other development, either earlier or later, is covered only fragmentary. There are other interesting stories, like the origins of USENET, internet news exchange service, but they are not the scope of this book.

The book leaves a pleasant impression that the authors actually understand the necessary technical background of the topic they are writing about. Some diagrams might help further, but I am sure that numerous metaphors used in the book will also alone help the casual reader to understand the idea of packet switching. Chapter notes and bibliography section deserve special praise, and the subject index comes in handy, too. Overall, a very satisfying book.

An informative History of the birth of the Internet
This book is a must for anyone teaching in the subject, or for Internet enthusiasts.

The book is factual in that important dates places and people are well documented.

Progression towards the present day Internet as we know it is presented in structured chunks of easy to read text, with the characters coming to life at all times. Reading this book makes one realise how much hard work went on before a solution to communication between computers was finalised.

The problem is that once you start reading it you want to carry on to the end!

Once you've reached the end you want to start again.

An important book for students who are serious about their studies. As a lecturer in computing and IT I find it invaluable.

Highly interesting book to read.
If you really want to know how the Internet was designed and built. Then this IS the book to read. Since you are sitting there reading this webpage, think of those guys. They helped put the technology there in the first place. Everything ranged from computers, packet switching, emails, ftp etc is all here. Looking at the photos of the team that helps design APRAnet (known as the internet nowadays), the building of the data traffic machines etc shows you how much obstacles they have overcome in order to get their project working. Recommended!