User:613Don/History of commercial internet

Commercial and government paths.
The shared global online network known of as the internet is as a result of thousands of advancements that began with the telegraph. Teletype was the second major step on the main path. Next was the SAGE project which was initiated in 1949 and it became the First National Air Defense Network which was fully deployed in 1963. Sage was a closed some to some online network. Next was Sabre which was initiated in 1953 and it became the first online order reservation system in 1960. Sabre was also a closed some to some network. IBM’s virtual network known as VNET began along with the SAGE project. VNET was initially an informal un-managed interconnection of IBM’s internal systems until formal management was put in place in about 1979. VNET was a closed some to some network. The IBM Electronic Customer Support Architecture and Strategy was developed in 1980. It was the first open “any to any” network approach. It was put in place in 1983 in the IBM Information Network making it the first open “any to any interconnected-network”. Those are just a few of the main path events. Side path events include the many commercial online service providers, Value Added Networks and government user group networks that emerged from the 1960's to the 1990s. They include Compuserve, Prodigy, Videotext, AOL, and BITNET. In 1962, ARPANET was initiated. It’s first logon attempt was in 1969. The generic term ‘internet” was used in about 1979. The ARPANET was the first network to use an early version of IP when it switched protocols in 1983. The ARPANET/internet was closed some to some until 1988 when it began ignoring the “Fair Use Rules” that made it close and prohibited business. It became fully and legally open in 1996 when the “Fair Use Rules” no longer applied to the commercial ISPs.

There are a few activities that are on the main path between telegraph and today. Most are on side paths that merged with the main path. To be on the main path between telegraph and today, the advancement must be a first. Side path items are activities that build on other advancements. Early online networks were closed. Today. most online activity is on open online networks. Closed networks have a select or limited user community. Open networks allow any to any when authorized without regard to user type or group.

1809: The beginning, telegraph
Before computers, in 1809, there was telegraph which began the first forms of electronic business and electronic mail. People and business order products electronically using telegraph and then teletype. Telegraph and teletype were not interconnected computer networks but they were electronic networks conducting electronic business.

1949 First online network
The First National Air Defense Network, first online network: 1949 SAGE

August 29, 1949, was the beginning of SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment). It was the first national air defense system as well as the first online network. In 1952, MIT selected IBM to build the computer to be the heart of SAGE. In 1956, IBM delivered the prototype of the computer to be used in SAGE. When fully deployed in 1963, SAGE included 23 centers. Ultimately, 54 systems were installed, all collaborating with each other. The SAGE system remained in service until January 1984 when it was replaced with a next generation air defense network.

SAGE was not used for online ordering but lessons learned from SAGE contributed to the development of the first online ordering system. SAGE was a closed some to some network. It provided file transfer and system console messaging that was a form of close some to some email. SAGE is a first of it’s type putting it on the main path between telegraph and today.

1950/60s IBM VNET
IBM’s Virtual Network began along with work on SAGE with connection in the IBM research facility. Eventually a prototype was made available to other IBM locations forming IBM’s Virtual Network (VNET) interconnecting various IBM internal systems. In about 1979, IBM began formal management of VNET. VNET provided file transfer within IBM which was a form of closed some to some email.

After VNET, IBM deployed over 33 internal closed networks for various internal support activities. - Online Education first happened in the late 1960's when IBM implemented an internal online education network. - First wireless computer was in the mid 1970's. IBM computer repairmen uses a hand held wireless computer to record service reports, order parts and do other online activity using the telephone company text networks. - First electronic software support using dial up to perform diagnosis and software fix download in the late 1970's.   - First open any to any online network. The IBM Information Network became the first open any to any network in 1983. It was the first leased line software support. VNET is activity that followed other interconnect activity so it is on a side path. The IBM online education, wireless computer and online software support are first of their type activities putting them on the main path between telegraph and today.

1960 AT&T Dataphone
AT&T announced the first commercial modem. It converted digital computer data to analog signals for transmission across phone lines. That first is on the main path between telegraph to today.

1962 The First Online order Reservation System: Sabre

The First Online order Reservation System got its start in 1953 as a result of a discussion between an IBM salesman and the president of American Air lines. The Sabre reservation system was built in 1960, with lessons learned from IBM’s project to build the SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) air defense computer system. By the end of 1964, the two interconnected computers and thousands of terminals were handling 7500 reservations per hour. Sabre was a closed some to some network. This first is on the main path between telegraph and today.

1962 ARPANET
In 1962 the US Air Force initiated ARPA. It was a defense and military project that provided the technical requirements for a very closed military research network. In 1968 ARPA awarded a contract to BBN to build the ARPANET. In 1969 the ARPANET physical network linked four nodes. The team described the first logon attempt between ARPANET computers which successfully completed the L O transmission before it failed. It began as a very closed restricted military network. This is work that followed other earlier networking activity so it is on a side path between telegraph and today.

1963: American Standard Code for Information Interchange
ASCII was defined.

ASCII is the standard code used for information interchange and for online communication protocols including IP. This first standards development activity is on the main path between telegraph and today.

1974 IBM SNA
In 1964 IBM announced the IBM 360 and SNA (System Network Architecture) in 1974. After that, online networking became viable on a very large scale. All major companies and government agencies implemented private closed online networks used by millions of people. SNA was a language for orderly interconnections between terminals and computers as well as between networks. Thousands of companies and various levels of government were using SNA or other providers communication protocols as well as standards developed languages. SNA was the defacto standard because is was used for about 80% of all online network activity. These activities are on side paths between telegraph and today. They allow more people to build networks to easily do online activity and interconnect networks but they are not the first of their type.

1979 CompuServe
Compuserve became the first major commercial online service provider in the USA. It was a dominate service provider through the 1980s and was ultimately purchased by AOL. It was a closed some to some network. The first commercial online service provider is on then main path between telegraph and today.

1980 Electronic Customer Support Architecture and strategy
The first any-to-any open architecture was initiated in 1980 by an IBM Washington Systems Center representative as a suggestion to IBM to consolidate and interconnect it’s 33 internal networks and to make CNET as a commercial any to any version of VNET. He coined the phrase; “anything that can be recorded electronically can be delivered electronically” From that beginning, he wrote a paper that contained the initial Electronic Customer Support Architecture and Strategy. It describe a the first open any to any generic internet. It is on the main path between telegraph and today.

In 1980, IBM had thousands of customers with their own closed internal networks. IBM also had over 33 separate internal networks. IBM had begun limited dial in electronic support for some of it’s newest machines. Most software support was done by driving between the customer location and IBM branch offices. IBM Systems Engineers and Program Support Representatives would do software problem determination and print a dump. Then drive back the branch and do more PD. Then down load a tape through one of IBM’s networks. Then drive to the customer location to install the fix. The author of the Systems Network Control Center workshop had worked with thousands of IBM customers with network development, design and management activities. He simply put it together and wrote an architecture and strategy with cost effective motivation to drive interconnection of IBM and it’s customers networks. The IBM motivation was the productivity and customer satisfaction associated with faster more reliable PD and fix deliver. No more Systems Engineers and Program Support Representatives driving back and forth. Instead, just do it electronically. The first open any to any network approach is on the main path between Telegraph and today.

The concept of shared roads applied to the beginning of the shared electronic highway. The telephone network was shared. The architect showed that it was logical to have a shared data network. To change from a world full of isolated electronic networks to shared global electronic network had a few basic steps. First; establish connections between IBM and it’s largest customers to eliminate the Systems Engineer and Program support diving back and forth. It allow IBM’s large customers to access IBM systems so they could do some of the stuff they had to have a the Systems Engineers and Program Support Representatives do. A natural layer was to enable the enterprises to do electronic business with each other. The next layer was to connect medium and small enterprises to do electronic business with each other. One connection to the shared global any to any online network gave a common connection to the world for open electronic communication with all people regardless of their business or government activities and communication partners. The ultimate goal was for family and friends to do email and all sorts of stuff electronically including business as well as social networking with pictures and videos. By design, it would reduce paper mail and reentering things that had been printed. The architecture and strategy was included in presentation and publications for years making it well known throughout the commercial and government networking world.

1981 BITNET
Because It is Time Network (BITNET) was established in 1981. It was modeled after IBM’s VNET. It had fair use rules like ARPANET/internet. It was for widespread education and research communication with a wider audience than ARPANET/internet. In a very short time it had most if not all higher education facilities interconnected for online services. For many years it had more connections than ARPANET/internet.

BITNET was a generic form of internet. In the common vernacular and the official definition and use of the term Internet, it is not dependent on protocol. The term Internet was generically used by the ARPANET people before the first IP was created. Today, most if not all past online activity is generically referred to as internet activity.

BITNET was a closed many to many network. It was cross enterprise but was for education or academic use. BITNET began to be open in the fall of 1987 or spring of 1988 when it connected to the IBM Information network’s open generic internet. BITNET is on a side path between telegraph and today.

1981 IBM Information Network
The IBM Information Network eventually became the IBM Global Network before it switched from SNA to use IP. Initially the IBM Information Network was another some to some Value Added Network. In 1983 it became the first open any to any Interconnected-Network when it adopted the 1980 IBM Electronic Customer Support Architecture and Strategy. It became the fastest growing of all network service providers. It is was the largest and most successful pre-IP Internet type service providers of all the various VANs and online service providers. It continued its growth through the 1980s and 1990s. It acquired a competing Value Added Network that was delivered by Sears. The combined larger VAN became known as Advantis. It was the largest commercial customer of the three largest telephone companies in the USA. In addition to using more transmission facilities of the three phone companies than any of their other commarcial customers, it had significant in house owned transmission facilities. After the conversion to the Internet Protocol, the IBM Global Network was purchased by AT&T. It is still a major ISP. This first of it’s type is on the main path between telegraph and today.

In 1983, customers of the IBM Information Network were enabled to do cross network electronic business. The IBM Information Network had a comprehensive Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) service that enabled online activity between and among businesses. Thousands of large customers connected their networks to the IBM network. Their suppliers and customers were using EDI services to place orders. This first activity of it’s type is on the main path between telegraph and today.

1984/1985 IBM Information Network Marketing guide
Business Model Introduction When IBM first introduced the concept of interconnecting all network, the idea had to be sold. Thus the need for a marketing guide. The basis for the marketing activity was to help customers understand that: anything that can be recorded electronically can be delivered electronically.

IBM IN marketing Guide for Network Services includes the a strategy to connect all users on all networks to allow any to any. The Marketing Guide is based 1980 work that describe the concept of a single shared global network to allow any to any and included a strategy to accomplish the goal. February 1985 second edition form number ZZ34-2240-1. The table of contents show the concept of any to any is included in various part of the marketing guide. Page x has a diagram showing multiple enterprises and individual users using one shared commercial data network. There were thousands of closed private networks. Initially, the Information Network was unique as the first network designed to connect any to any world wide. Page 1-1, Shows comparison of the shared inter-enterprise data network being like the interstate highway system or any other shared network. Just as the Eisenhower interstate system is a shared network using concrete or any other road surface, electronic communication can be conducted on a shared inter-enterprise data network. Page 1-2, Emphasize the concept of a shared data network across business or enterprise. Shows comparison of the shared voice network with the new concept of a shared data network. Actually, data is on the shared voice network. Various individual enterprises lease voice lines then put data on them. This comparison makes it easy to see the value of a shared data network just as people use a shared voice network. Page 1-3, shows various business and individual users sharing the single data network with the concept of any to any when authorized. Page 3-2, Phases of growth from single enterprise use to multi-enterprise and include the concept of electronically doing business with suppliers and customers. This is part of strategy to arrive at the architecture of a single any to any shared data network. This page contains one of the most important productivity concepts which is the statement about anything being recorded electronically can be delivered electronically. There was significant productivity improvement as a result of the any to any shared data network concept. Most of the business to business productivity improvement occurred during the 1980s. One type of productivity improvements resulted in elimination of jobs that were in place to reenter the data that had been printed then delivered through the mail. Just in time production became realistic due to electronic delivery of data. The concept of a shared data network allowed simple rapid expansion of the inter-enterprise business across multiple industries.

1988 So long telephone tag was the slogan, First any-to-any email
The IBM information network established the first service to interconnect separate companies or enterprise internal email with other enterprise email making it the first open any to any email. It was part of the IBM Information Network architecture and Strategy to interconnect IBM’s business partners email with IBM with the any to any as a natural layer. Pilot activity began earlier. This first activity is on the main path between telegraph and today.

1982 Minitel Videotex
Videotex online service was announced in France in 1982. Users could make online purchases and perform various online activities including chat similar to ISP Internet chat capability. Videotex was a closed some to some network. This service was limited to the people in France making it open some to some. This service was not the first value added network fore business or individuals so it is NOT on the main path from telegraph to today.

1983 CVT (AOL)
AOL was founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, an online services company. Its founders wanted to do music downloads but the idea was rejected by Warner Bros. It began providing online gaming services. AOL used it’s own internal developed programs.

In 1992, AOL connected to the government backbone to do e-mail with internet users.

AOL anniversary

By 1993, AOL was embracing the mobile user long before smart phones. After all, smart phones are simply sophisticated palm computers with cell phone added. AOL palmtop edition enabled devices from Casio Computer Co., Ltd. and Tandy Corporation to connect. This is not on the main path between telegraph and today.

1984 Prodigy
Prodigy was a joint venture between IBM and Sears. It followed a prior joint venture between IBM Sears and CBS. Like the France Videotex, it allowed subscribers to search for information and do other activity such as banking and shopping. It was an open some to some solution. It is not on the main path between telegraph and today.

1985 IBM InfoExpress
InfoExpress was a formal IBM Electronic Customer Support activity. It was the first method for a company to allow any of it’s customers to access product information online. It was part of the overall strategy to get all networks interconnected to one to many then any to any. It is on the main path between telegraph and today.

1986/1977 Remote takeover of computer
In 1986 IBM delivered Cooperative Viewing Support Facility which was the first dial up tool to allow remote takeover of a computer. In 1987, the IBM Information Network delivered Remote Screen Viewing Support Facility which was the first lease line tool to allow remote take over of a computer. IBM Cooperative Viewing Support Facility was installed on the IBM Information Network.

1988, Nationwide Commercial Driver License tracking network
In 1988, the spring of 1988, the first four states were inter-connected to begin tracking commercial driver licenses. Eventually all 50 states were tracking commercial driver licenses through their connection to the IBM Information Network.

1988 Operating network invention disclosure
The operating network invention disclosure described an intelligent network that allowed any point to be an origination point, intermediate point or a destination point. Throughout the network, the components would share information about other locations. The address schema was similar to the phone company address schema in that it had levels that were separated with a “-“. For example, an address might be abcde-wxyz-12345. The intent was to allow a virtually unlimited address capability. The purpose of that address schema was to eliminate the potential problems with other transmission protocols limited address schemas. The overall invention disclosure intent was to have a flat structure without any hierarchy and one that allowed any point to be a server, router or client. The invention disclosure eluded to the natural extension of the system throughout the network resulting in the elimination of distinction between system and network. Since the Invention disclosure was rated publish, it became public domain which made it available for use my anybody without tracking.

1988 Computer shorthand invention disclosure
Computer shorthand is the use of each bit to represent a complete word or meaning. One bit can represent a full screen or a name to be inserted in a field in a full screen. For example, a human recognized word or string of words is used to represent a computer or IP bit address.

1988 government funded IP and Internet backbone
NSF awarded a contract to IBM, MCI and Merrit system to develop and build a new IP for a new network that was to be called the Internet. Officially it was another closed network that was to be used for government, academic, and research only. The fair use rules specifically excluded any form of business use. The project received assistance from Al Gore who helped get funding for new IP and new network. The term internet is applied generically to refer to any online activity since the first SAGE online activity to today. Thus the naming of a network “Internet’ is still a side path activity between telegraph and today.

1996 Internet
By 1996, all the existing networks with hundreds of millions of users had switched from other protocols to IP. The commercial Value Added Networks that had been providing services using other protocols became ISPs providing the commercial IP backbone. Before IP, the commercial generic internet was providing online generic internet services. After switching to IP, the commercial service providers continued to deliver online services. This is when various paths merge to one point like a trunk of a tree with many roots then they fanouted like the branches of a tree.

The end of the Fair Use rules
In an article called What Is The Internet (And What Makes It Work) - December, 1999 By Robert E. Kahn and Vinton G. Cerf; they write:

For a long time, the federal government did not allow organizations to connect to the Internet to carry out commercial activities. By 1988, it was becoming apparent, however, that the Internet's growth and use in the business sector might be seriously inhibited by this restriction.

In 1988, it was accepted that the ARPANET Internet Protocol network was not competitive with the existing commercial online networks and that the pre 1988 version of IP was not adequate. With the help of Al Gore, funding was made available to hire companies to develop a new Internet Protocol and to address the legal restriction on doing business on networks using the Internet Protocol. Due to the Internet Fair Use Rules, the closed user community was limited to government, academic and research. Business and general public users could not officially be conducted on the government funded Internet until the mid 1990's. The fair use rules legally remained as long as the “internet backbone” was federal government funded. When the commercial services providers began delivering the backbone the fair use rules did not apply.

By definition, the Internet Protocol does not define or limit the Internet because any protocol can be used to carry data on the Interconnected networks. Early versions of the government “internet” did not use the Internet Protocol. If and when another protocol is developed, the generic term Internet can still apply.

Today, the Internet is a commercial service providing an Interconnection of Networks using the Internet protocol to carry data allowing any user on any network to communicate with any user or application on any other attached network with or without authorization.

Base building evolution 1949 to 1984
Between 1949 and 1984, throughout the world, hundreds of thousands of isolated networks were created and used by tens of millions of users. By design, each network was created for closed user communities. If a user wanted to access more than one network, they had to sign up to get access to other networks. By 1984, most large and intermediate size companies and government agencies had internal networks and also had office systems for internal electronic mail.

Structured rapid business to business expansion - 1983 to 1995
After the global any to any business model was put in place in 1984, it became well known in the networking world. In just a few years, it became an imperative for business and government enterprises to develop their own electronic business model based on the original. By 1998, most government and corporate enterprises were connected to one of the open commercial Value Added Networks and were engaged in electronic business to business communication. The individual public user connections were beginning as services like AOL simplified the user experience. Business to individual consumer was beginning to emerge.

Protocol conversion 1995 to 1996
Existing network services providers made the transition from other protocols to IP and they became know of as Internet Services Providers. The existing commercial service provider backbone changed from other protocols to use IP. The fair use rules did not apply to any of the commercial backbone services.

Public user and natural growth 1996 to today
New host service providers emerged to exploit the global any to any network opportunities. A low cost wide array of network services became available to attract individual users. Business added applications to allow individual public users to do business. Online shopping and online banking became the new normal as companies worked to capture the ready made customer base eager to use new capabilities

That meant new service opportunities were to be created. The philosophy of “anything that can be recorded electronically can be delivered electronically” had begun to be realized. Social networking sites emerged. Internal electronic messaging and internal offices systems became real open any to any email. The people at work wanted to forget computers at home but they still liked the email capability idea for use with friends and family. So they helped stimulate other individual users to sign up for email and other online services.

By the end of the 1990s the cloud had basically reached a maturity phase and growth slowed. It was time for a new or expanded architecture.