RE: Purpose of the Internet

["Daniel Golding" <dgolding () sockeye com>]

This is a great book, BTW. All network engineers should read it. I suspect
this misunderstanding grew out of the idea that some of the original papers
on packet switching used as one of their criteria, that the networks be
highly survivable. Also, considering the source of many of the grants on
this (DARPA), a tip of the hat to a defense-oriented goal would have been
smart.

- Daniel Golding

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-nanog () merit edu [mailto:owner-nanog () merit edu]On Behalf Of
> Alan Hannan
> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 12:14 AM
> To: nanog () merit edu
> Subject: Purpose of the Internet
>
>
>
> > Actually, NANOG does great.  Especially during Sept 11, information
> > was disseminated, help was offered and accepted, and except for a
> > couple of idiotic flames, the SNR was high.  ARPA designed the thing
> > to withstand nuclear blasts, and while this was not nuclear, it stood
> > up well.
>
>   I read through nanog around september 11th a few days ago and I
>   concur that painful as it was to re-read, it is apparent that
>   nanog served well as a useful communications medium.
>
>   With regards to the purpose of the internet, I recall reading
>   in the Prologue to _Where Wizards Stay Up Late_, by Katie Hafner
>   and Matthew Lyon, a true anecdote about Bob Taylor. The authors
>   quote Mr. Taylor as refuting that the purpose of the arpanet was
>   to provide communications in spite of a nuclear attack.
>
>   Rather, it is asserted, the purpose of the arpanet was to
>   interconnect computers at various research/education facilities
>   so as to allow researchers to share resources.
>
>   We all heard that story too, but popular media tended to focus
>   on the sensationalist nuclear story.
>
>   Useful info from history.....
>
>   -alan
>
>   ps -> thanks jeff for the book back in 1996 :-)