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A Brief History of the Internet

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the if-you-can't-be-funny,-be-brief dept.

Ant writes "'Many young people around the world use the internet every day, and yet they have no memory of the history that led to the creation of the global network. Many have no understanding of how or why the internet has developed. As part of out continuing efforts to combat ignorance around the world, The Lemon is proud to present this timeline...'"

4 of 283 comments (clear)

  1. The history of Usenet... by $$$$$exyGal · · Score: 5, Informative

    On a related note, here is the history of Usenet. Unlike the story-linked-site, the Usenet site is a real history, and is in many ways funnier.

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    Very popular slashdot journal for adul
  2. Hobbes' Internet Timeline and ISOC History by SgtChaireBourne · · Score: 5, Informative
    The Lemon seems weak on content, I realize that it's an attempt at humor, but there is not even a mention of Usenet. (IIRC, Clarinet was the first profitable uses of the 'net) Plus the some of the dates, e.g. for Apple, are wrong.

    The Hobbes' Internet Timeline and the ISOC list of Internet Histories give much better coverage.

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    Beta is broken and the link to classic doesn't work. Stop wasting our time or there won't be anybody left here.
  3. Al Gore's Internet by scubacuda · · Score: 5, Informative
    Here is a good thread on the Al Gore myth.

    Seth Finkelstein has collected lots of good links on the topic.

  4. A more complete history by dcherk · · Score: 5, Informative

    For a much more complete history of not just the internet, but of interactive computing in general, read The Dream Machine by M. Mitchell Waldrop. This book centers around JCR Linklider and describes the efforts he and many other people made to invent networking, the mouse, the modern PC, and interactive computers in general.
    From the Amazon review: "Waldrop interviewed dozens of contemporaries and examined reams of notes and primary sources to compose this massive biography of influence that stretches from MIT to the Pentagon to Xerox PARC and far beyond."
    Many funny annecdotes are part of the story: Why is the mouse called "Mouse", the origin of "Requests for Comments", why is it called "Ethernet" and so on.
    Strongly recommended!