1. A Very Brief History of the Internet

2. The early development of what became the Internet.  In 1957, the Department of Defense founded the Advanced Research Projects Agency. By early 1960s, it was exploring the “networking” of DOD computers and the possibility of constructing what J.C.R. Licklider of MIT deemed a “Galactic Network”. After long planning, first host computer was connected in 1969. WHY BUILD THIS SORT OF NETWORK ?

3. ARPAnet was a distributed network

4. To send files, applications, etc. via this distributed network, ARPAnet relied on “packet switching” To send files, applications, etc. via this distributed network, ARPAnet relied on “packet switching”packet switchingpacket switching  Avoid bottlenecks and long queues.  Avoid bottlenecks and long queues.  Meant that even in the event of a nuclear attack on computing “hubs”, communication would still be possible  Meant that even in the event of a nuclear attack on computing “hubs”, communication would still be possible

5.  By early 70s, ARPAnet enabled researchers and military to communicate via a distributed network. First “electronic mail”.  As Jordan (cited in Bell 13) puts it: The key point about email is that rather than people using ARPANET to communicate with computers, as the designers had expected, people used it to communicate with other people. The key point about email is that rather than people using ARPANET to communicate with computers, as the designers had expected, people used it to communicate with other people.

6. By 1982, National Science Foundation invested in high-speed communications network (of T1 lines) to link major research universities.( Military uses of ARPAnet were transitioned to MILNET). By 1982, National Science Foundation invested in high-speed communications network (of T1 lines) to link major research universities.( Military uses of ARPAnet were transitioned to MILNET). In 1987, NSF took over funding and maintenance of Internet backbone.

7.  In 1988 and 89, MCI Mail and CompuServe, first formally sanctioned commercial email carriers connected to the Internet  Also in 1989, The World Comes On Line, first public dial-up Internet Service Provider. The World Comes On LineThe World Comes On Line  In 1990, ARPAnet decommissioned.  Late 80s, early 90s: Internet Relay Chat (IRC), Usenet, multi-user domains (MUDS). Establishment of Domain Name System (“ac” for academic; “com” for commercial, “gov” for government, etc.).

9.  In 1991, HTML (HyperText Markup Language) invented by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN. Allows for creation of web pages. World Wide Web introduced to the public. HyperText Markup Languageweb pagesHyperText Markup Languageweb pages  Meant to facilitate a nonhierarchical system of storing, distributing and retrieving important information.  Using Uniform Resource Locators (URLS), Internet users could quickly locate Web Pages, offered up by Web Servers, anywhere on the network. Also in 1991, NSF began allowing unrestricted (or relatively unrestricted) commercial use of the Internet.

10.  1993, first Web Browser, Mosaic, made available to public free of charge. In 1994, Netscape released.  In 1995, NSF handed over maintenance of Internet infrastructure to group of private enterprises (MCI, AT&T, Ameritech).  Network service providers sell access to local service providers, colleges, businesses etc. Commercialization of the Internet expodes: 1995. Yahoo, Ebay and Amazon.com founded. YahooEbayAmazon.comYahooEbayAmazon.com 1995-2000. Internet stocks soar to record heights. Then, on April 4, 2000, the Internet bubble bursts and the Nasdaq falls 500 points in a single day. 1995-2000. Internet stocks soar to record heights. Then, on April 4, 2000, the Internet bubble bursts and the Nasdaq falls 500 points in a single day. 2002. Amazon.com finally turns a profit. 2002. Amazon.com finally turns a profit.  The number of Web sites has grown from just 130 in 1993 to more than 40 million in 2003.

11. Governance  As the internet has evolved, the various bodies governing it have evolved too: the Internet Activities Board, the Internet Working Group, the Internet Society and, most recently, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

12. The role of government policy  Telecomm policy.  Cable policy.  The Telecomm Act of 1996.  The Net Neutrality Debate

13. How Many of You Have Heard of Network Neutrality?  Concept that: 1. Anyone who has Internet access should be able to use any application and attach any device they want to the network. 1. Anyone who has Internet access should be able to use any application and attach any device they want to the network. 2. That Internet access providers and the owners of the telecomm infrastructure not be able to discriminate against any legal Internet content. That all packets be delivered using a “first in, first out” method at the maximum speed possible given network constraints. not be able to discriminate against any legal Internet content. That all packets be delivered using a “first in, first out” method at the maximum speed possible given network constraints. 3. That telecommunication infrastructures cannot give preferential treatment to particular kinds of content.

14. ATT and other Telecomm Companies want to eliminate Net Neutrality. WHY?  Because they want to give preferential treatment to their own content and applications.  Because there is money to be made in creating a “tiered” Internet where both Web content providers and users have to pay to get on the fast lane.

15. The State of the Debate  Brand X.  COPE.  Snow-Dorgan Bill (Internet Freedom Preservation Act )