This is a large timeline of that covers the entire history of the 'net. From the beginnings of long distance conversations, to today's latest wonders…it's all here. We'll start you off on your journey at the beginning, at the beginning of all electronic communications…

1836

This was the absolute first electronic communication device. People would send messages using Morse code, a series of short and long tones. It is written as dots and dashes. The system was binary; the tone would either be on or off, which is not far from how our computers today communicate. Here is the basic Morse code:
· A=.-
· B=-…
· C=-.-.
· D=-..
· E=.
· F=..-.
· G=--.
· H=....
· I=..
· J=.---
· K=-.-
· L=.-..
· M=--
· N=-.
· O=---
· P=.--.
· Q=--.-
· R=.-.
· S=...
· T=-
· U=..-
· V=...-
· W=.--
· X=-..-
· Y=-.--
· Z=--..

· The telegraph was an important invention that revolutionized communications in the 1800's.


1858

In 1858, the Transatlantic Cable was set up. This wads done by putting miles and miles of wire on a boat and hauling one end to America and the other to Europe. This allowed telegrams to pass over continents-an enormous breakthrough. Although this was a theoretical breakthrough, it was really a complete failure. They only managed to keep it working for a week or so.

1866

By this time they finally figured out how to get the wire to stay up more than a week and planted the first totally permanent working wires. This event was not as well known because it had already been tried. But this was the first successful one.

1876

The telephone was invented in this year by Alexander Graham Bell. This allowed voice to be carried over wires. It was a vast improvement and allowed a much greater amount of communications. Soon, phone lines sprang up all over. This actually caused problems and soon made the beautiful scenery full of phone lines. Some cities even took action. Ever wonder why there aren't hundreds of telephones in New York City? The city decided to put them all underground. They're all still there.

1957 

For some reason, the history seems to have taken a break (an 80 year one) and didn't start to progress much more until the 50's. This may have been because of the industrial revolution; America was mostly focusing on industry, and the two major wars (WWI and WWII) that took place in between these.

But in '57, the Russians sent up Sputnik. This first airborne Satellite caused Dwight Eisenhower to feel the need for a satellite for America. He forms ARPA, the Advanced Research Project Agency, which builds the USA a satellite in under 18 months. This agency featured the most brilliant people in America, and was very successful.

1961

Leonard Kleinrock from the Massachusetts Institute of technology writes the first paper on the technology of packet switching theory. You can find this paper at http://www.lk.cs.ucla.edu/LK/Bib/REPORT/PhD/





1962

Packet switching networks are in the beginnings of formation. Today, the internet relies on this technology. It is extremely efficient and useful. For more information on these networks, visit its founder's site: http://www.lk.cs.ucla.edu/

At this time the Rand Corporation also starts to research computer networks for the government.

1965

ARPA agrees to sponsor a system in which two computers will be connected with 1200 baud modems for the first time. This will become another major breakthrough.

1966

Lawrence G. Roberts from MIT write another paper, this one on networked computers. This is the first ARPANET plan. 

1967

The ARANET holds discussions in Michigan. This was the first meeting to join ARPA, RAND, and the NPL. The NPL (National Physical Laboratory) des anexperiment with packet switching using 768 kbps lines.

1968

During 1968, the different organizations successfully attempted to gain funding and respect, as what they were about to do the next year would be revolutionary…

1969

It seems as if a lot happened this year. First successful flight to the moon. Birth of the Internet…. the "Information Highway". What a year. 

Stanford Research Institute, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, and the University of Utah all became networked when ARPANET decided to create its first hosts. This system managed to type the letter "L-O" in an unsuccessful attempt to type the world login. During the letter G, it crashed. See, computers were crashing from the start.

They eventually figured it out….


The seventies! Part II of III.