I've heard this argumentation a couple of times before here at slashdot, but I really can't agree. The Internet is based on the idea of packet switched networks, which was developed in the early 1960. The first network to ever use this (I think) was, as you mention, ARPAnet in 1969.
What you should keep in mind is that the idea was developed simultaneously and independently by two other research groups, the Rand Institute and National Physical Laboratory in England (that's outside the U.S.).
Also, the http and html standard were developed in CERN, Europe. Not that these are fundemental for the Internet as such, but I guess we wouldn't have the same growth of the Internet without www.
Slashdot Mirror
I've heard this argumentation a couple of times before here at slashdot, but I really can't agree. The Internet is based on the idea of packet switched networks, which was developed in the early 1960. The first network to ever use this (I think) was, as you mention, ARPAnet in 1969.
What you should keep in mind is that the idea was developed simultaneously and independently by two other research groups, the Rand Institute and National Physical Laboratory in England (that's outside the U.S.).
Also, the http and html standard were developed in CERN, Europe. Not that these are fundemental for the Internet as such, but I guess we wouldn't have the same growth of the Internet without www.