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NSFnet — 20 Years of Internet Obscurity and Insight

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the thanks-for-all-the-fish dept.

coondoggie writes "The National Science Foundation (NSF) reissued the words that started the Internet revolution 20 years ago today: 'The NSFnet Backbone has reached a state where we would like to more officially let operational traffic on.' That was the email sent to users of the NSF's fledgling NSFnet to announce that the network's backbone had been upgraded to a 'blazing T-1 speed.' NSFnet was created by NSF a few years earlier in an attempt to create a computer network similar to the Department of Defense's ARPANET. When the original six-node, 56 kilobits-per-second NSFnet backbone went into operation in 1986, NSF made the decision to allow any academic, governmental or commercial entity to hook up to this network of networks. Within a few weeks of going online, traffic on the new network began doubling every few weeks. The network's backbone of core 56 kilobits-per-second connections were considered fast, but they were not fast enough to satisfy the demands of all the new users who were coming online, according to the NSF."

8 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. DoubleTake by StyxRiver · · Score: 5, Funny

    NSFWnet. Anyone else read it that way?

    I really should get to bed earlier...

  2. Pffft. by Ethanol-fueled · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wannabe internet.

    1. Re:Pffft. by Divebus · · Score: 3, Funny

      Wannabe internet

      Really. You can get 56 kilobits-per-second at home now.

      --

      Most of the stuff on /. won't survive first contact with facts.
  3. Re:I was at one of the earliest Internet sites... by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Funny

    You might have to wait several days for your file to show up...

    Birth of Comcast also, eh? ;-)
         

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  4. The rest is history by GroeFaZ · · Score: 3, Funny

    It was only a small step from NSF to NSFW.

    --
    The grass is always greener on the other side of the light cone.
    1. Re:The rest is history by cdrudge · · Score: 3, Funny

      And with that small step comes the explanation why network traffic doubled every couple of weeks.

  5. Fake Bill Gates Says... by gbulmash · · Score: 4, Funny

    640 Kilobits should be fast enough for anyone.

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    Start a happiness pandemic
  6. NSF by Kallahan · · Score: 3, Funny

    pffbt, NSFnet, all you had to do to hack the network is type NSF001 for the username and smashthestate for the password and you got admin acess.