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| when-was-internet-invented-and-who-invented-internet [2026/07/28 18:12] – cynic | when-was-internet-invented-and-who-invented-internet [2026/08/11 13:27] (current) – cynic | ||
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| - | Why was the Internet invented? Who invented it? When did it begin? Those questions seem simple—but the real story is far more interesting. | + | Why was the Internet invented? Who invented it? When did it begin? Those questions seem simple, but the real story is far more interesting. |
| If you've watched enough documentaries, | If you've watched enough documentaries, | ||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
| - | The answer depends on which part of the story you're asking about. The immediate catalyst was the launch of Sputnik in 1957. In response, the United States created Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) to accelerate advanced scientific research for national defense. ARPA would later fund the development of the ARPANET, the research network that became one of the foundations of today' | + | The answer depends on which part of the story you're asking about. The immediate catalyst was the launch of Sputnik in 1957. In response, the United States created Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) to accelerate advanced scientific research for national defense. ARPA would later fund the development of the ARPANET, the research network that became one of the foundations of today' |
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| + | But the Internet wasn't created simply to survive nuclear war, a common oversimplification. | ||
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| + | Researchers were trying to solve several problems at once: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * • Sharing expensive computers between universities | ||
| + | * • Allowing researchers to collaborate over long distances | ||
| + | * • Making computer networks more reliable | ||
| + | * • Developing new methods for moving information efficiently | ||
| Those ideas eventually converged into what became the Internet. | Those ideas eventually converged into what became the Internet. | ||
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| The immediate catalyst was the launch of Sputnik in 1957. In response, the United States created Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) to accelerate advanced scientific research for national defense. | The immediate catalyst was the launch of Sputnik in 1957. In response, the United States created Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) to accelerate advanced scientific research for national defense. | ||
| + | |||
| ARPA would later fund the development of the ARPANET, the research network that became one of the foundations of today' | ARPA would later fund the development of the ARPANET, the research network that became one of the foundations of today' | ||
| Line 32: | Line 42: | ||
| Researchers were trying to solve several problems at once: | Researchers were trying to solve several problems at once: | ||
| - | • Sharing expensive computers between universities | ||
| - | • Allowing researchers to collaborate over long distances | ||
| - | • Making computer networks more reliable | ||
| - | • Developing new methods for moving information efficiently | ||
| + | * Sharing expensive computers between universities | ||
| + | * Allowing researchers to collaborate over long distances | ||
| + | * Making computer networks more reliable | ||
| + | * Developing new methods for moving information efficiently | ||
| Those ideas eventually converged into what became the Internet. | Those ideas eventually converged into what became the Internet. | ||
| Line 47: | Line 57: | ||
| Among the people you'll meet in GeekHistory are: | Among the people you'll meet in GeekHistory are: | ||
| - | ◇ Vannevar Bush, whose 1945 essay As We May Think described ideas that anticipated hypertext and modern knowledge systems. | + | * Vannevar Bush, whose 1945 essay As We May Think described ideas that anticipated hypertext and modern knowledge systems. |
| - | ◇ J. C. R. Licklider, whose vision of interactive computing and a worldwide computer network inspired decades of research. | + | |
| - | ◇ Paul Baran, whose work at the RAND Corporation helped develop packet-switching concepts. | + | |
| - | ◇ Larry Roberts, principal architect of the ARPANET. | + | |
| - | ◇ Dozens of graduate students, university researchers, | + | |
| The Internet wasn't invented by one genius. | The Internet wasn't invented by one genius. | ||
| Line 68: | Line 78: | ||
| | 1945 | Vannevar Bush publishes As We May Think, introducing ideas that influenced hypertext. | | | 1945 | Vannevar Bush publishes As We May Think, introducing ideas that influenced hypertext. | | ||
| | 1960 | J.C.R. Licklider publishes Man-Computer Symbiosis. | | | 1960 | J.C.R. Licklider publishes Man-Computer Symbiosis. | | ||
| + | | 1960s | Paul Baran RAND reports titled On Distributed Communications | | ||
| | 1969 | The first ARPANET connection is established. | | | 1969 | The first ARPANET connection is established. | | ||
| | January 1, 1983 | TCP/IP replaces NCP on ARPANET, creating the technical foundation of the modern Internet. | | | January 1, 1983 | TCP/IP replaces NCP on ARPANET, creating the technical foundation of the modern Internet. | | ||
| Line 92: | Line 103: | ||
| ---- | ---- | ||
| - | Keywords: internet, WWW, world wide web, inventors, inventions | ||
| - | Description: | + | |
| + | |||
| + | ===== Who Invented | ||
| + | |||
| **[[Who Invented the Internet Just the Truth| Who Invented the Internet? No Script. No AI. Just the Truth. ]]** | **[[Who Invented the Internet Just the Truth| Who Invented the Internet? No Script. No AI. Just the Truth. ]]** | ||
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| **[[why-was-internet-created-1957-sputnik-launches-arpa| Why was the internet created? 1957: Sputnik launches ARPA]]** | **[[why-was-internet-created-1957-sputnik-launches-arpa| Why was the internet created? 1957: Sputnik launches ARPA]]** | ||
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| + | |||
| + | **[[Debunking ARPANET mythology| Who Invented the Internet? Debunking ARPANET mythology]]** | ||
| + | |||
| + | **[[Man Who Imagined the Internet Before Computers Existed | The Man Who Imagined the Internet Before Computers Existed]]** | ||
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| - | **[[when-was-internet-invented-jcr-licklider-guides-1960s-arpa-vision| Internet | + | **[[when-was-internet-invented-jcr-licklider-guides-1960s-arpa-vision| Internet |
| + | |||
| + | **[[J. C. R. Licklider: Intergalactic Computer Network | J. C. R. Licklider: Intergalactic Computer Network | ||
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| - | Internet History 1960s: Paul Baran developed packet switching | + | **[[ Internet visionary J.C.R. Licklider Computing' |
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| + | **[[1960s-paul-baran-developed-packet-switching| | ||
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| + | **[[Paul Baran: The Forgotten Geek Behind Packet Switching | Paul Baran: The Forgotten Geek Behind Packet Switching ]]** | ||
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| **[[1980s-internet-protocols-become-universal-language-computers| Bob Kahn and Vinton Cerf set standards TCP/IP becomes universal language | **[[1980s-internet-protocols-become-universal-language-computers| Bob Kahn and Vinton Cerf set standards TCP/IP becomes universal language | ||
| ]]** | ]]** | ||
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| + | **[[Who Invented TCP/IP? Kahn and Cerf Teach Computers the Same Language | Who Invented TCP/IP? Kahn and Cerf Teach Computers the Same Language]]** | ||
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| Internet History 1990s: Marc Andreessen wrote Mosaic Web browser | Internet History 1990s: Marc Andreessen wrote Mosaic Web browser | ||
| - | http:// | + | |
| + | ---- | ||
| + | | ||
| - | ▶ Watch the complete History of the Internet series: | + | **[[https:// |
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| + | **[[" | ||
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| + | ---- | ||
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| + | |||
| + | Keywords: internet, WWW, world wide web, inventors, inventions | ||
| + | |||
| + | Description: | ||
Sorry if some of the pages having missing graphics or a bookmarked page is missing. We are migrating our site over to DokuWiki from Drupal. The last major overhaul of our site was in 2016, and we were due for some freshening up.
The collection of material for the study of geek history dates back to my early days in technology as far back as the 1970s. You will find specific footnotes and references on many pages with links to current websites. Anytime a claim is made, or a fact is stated from a website or blog that does not appear to have firsthand knowledge of the subject I make a note to follow up on it. I can assure you that anything I have written is based on verification of facts from a source as close to the events and individuals as possible or multiple sources of information from leading publications or references.
