How the Internet Was Invented: Part 1

Summary

This video dives into the fascinating history of the Internet, beginning with early attempts to connect computers in the 1940s and 50s. It covers key milestones such as ARPANET, the birth of packet switching, and the creation of TCP/IP, which allowed the Internet to grow into the global network it is today. The video explains how crucial innovations like email, the Domain Name System (DNS), and the evolution of networking protocols paved the way for the modern Internet, ultimately culminating in the 1980s when the Department of Defense handed over control of ARPANET, marking the start of the public Internet.

Takeaways

• 😀 The internet is an intricate network of interconnected computers that communicate by sending messages, files, and data between each other.
• 😀 In the early days, computers communicated through slow, complex systems like circuit switching, which made connecting computers inefficient.
• 😀 The idea of computer networks began in World War II, when physicist Richard Feynman developed a system where multiple computers could solve problems simultaneously.
• 😀 The first major computer network, ARPANET, was created in 1969 by the U.S. Department of Defense to connect scientists and engineers across the country.
• 😀 ARPANET's first major technical breakthrough was packet switching, allowing computers to send messages in small 'packets' that could travel through shared networks.
• 😀 Unlike traditional circuit switching, packet switching allowed multiple computers to communicate simultaneously, making the internet scalable.
• 😀 In the 1970s, ARPANET grew rapidly, connecting universities and even extending to places like Hawaii, England, and Norway.
• 😀 The invention of the TCP/IP protocols in the 1970s standardized how packets were formatted and addressed, which made it easier to connect different networks and formed the basis of the modern internet.
• 😀 ARPANET's growing scale led to complications in keeping track of addresses and emails, prompting the creation of the Domain Name System (DNS) to organize and simplify the process of routing data.
• 😀 By the late 1980s, ARPANET's mission was complete, and the internet had grown into a global network that connected thousands of institutions, marking the beginning of the general public's access to the internet.

Q & A

What is the process when you click on a video on YouTube?

When you click on a video, your computer sends a message to YouTube's server, which then retrieves the video file and streams it back to your computer piece by piece. The process happens quickly, with the data continually streaming as you watch.

How did computers first start working together during World War II?

During World War II, computers were used to solve complex problems. Physicist Richard Feynman and his team developed a method where computers worked on different parts of a problem simultaneously, allowing them to solve multiple issues in less time.

What was the significance of the 1950s and 60s in the history of computer networks?

In the 1950s and 60s, universities began separating computer terminals from the actual computers, allowing multiple people to access powerful computers remotely. This concept is considered an early form of cloud computing.

What role did ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency) play in the development of the Internet?

ARPA, created by the U.S. Department of Defense, funded research into creating a network to connect scientists and engineers across the country. This eventually led to the creation of ARPANET, one of the first computer networks.

What was ARPANET, and how did it contribute to the Internet's development?

ARPANET was the first network of its kind, created in 1969, to allow communication between computers at universities like UCLA and Stanford. It introduced key innovations like packet switching and laid the foundation for the Internet.

What is packet switching, and why was it important for the development of the Internet?

Packet switching is a method where data is broken into small packets and sent through different paths to its destination. This was crucial because it allowed multiple devices to communicate simultaneously, overcoming the limitations of circuit switching, which could only connect two devices at a time.

What were some of the challenges that ARPANET faced in the 1970s?

As ARPANET grew, one major challenge was managing the addresses of increasing numbers of computers. A temporary solution was found in 1973 by having Stanford University keep an updated list of addresses, but this system was overloaded as the network expanded.

How did TCP/IP solve the issue of connecting different networks in the 1970s?

TCP/IP, introduced in 1974, provided a universal standard for formatting packets and assigning addresses. This allowed different networks to communicate seamlessly, leading to the creation of the Internet by the early 1980s.

What was the Domain Name System (DNS), and why was it necessary for the growth of the Internet?

The DNS, introduced in the 1980s, organized Internet addresses into a hierarchical system of top-level and second-level domains. This system helped manage the growing number of addresses and made it easier for computers to find each other on the network.

How did the Department of Defense contribute to the Internet's expansion by the late 1980s?

By the late 1980s, the Department of Defense had achieved its goal of a reliable interconnection of computers. With ARPANET no longer needed to serve as the primary network backbone, the Department of Defense ended the ARPANET project, allowing the Internet to continue growing under different management.