Lessons from the History of the Internet

1. Lessons from the History of the Internet Innovation and Technology Transfer -João Meyer -Ana Sofia Mascarenhas -Pedro Nazareth Castells, M. (2001), “Lessons from the History of Internet”, in “The Internet Galaxy”, Ch. 1, pp 9-35.Oxford Univ. Press. 1st of February 2002

2. Presentation Framework • Factual History of the Internet • Author´s lessons from the Internet History • Our opinion and relevant aspects for the course • Discussion

3. Basic Structure of Internet was formed Factual History of the Internet ARPANET- Project consisting in building a network between computer centers (1962/69) Packet-switching (Paul Baran) Next Step: Connect different networks ARPANET was formed Standardized Communication protocols (TCP/IP)

4. Factual History of the Internet • Other Sources of Internet: MODEM/computer Bulletin Board System An alternative network (usenet news) Connecting to ARPANET Creation of world wide web and modifications

5. Author´s lessons from the Internet History • Research Policy World Political Situation of the time Strong Suport to invest - Cold War Mobilisation of - Government - Soviet Space program - Public Opinion ARPA : Massive Resources + Scientific Capacity Considerable Autonomy to Researchers - Superiority Military technology Something should come out of it... - Porfit for Economy

6. Author´s lessons from the Internet History • Share of knowledge “ARPANET developed in a safe but not limiting environment – Relaxed security” Big inter-action within Accademic Comunity • Researchers • Co-workers • - Graduate Students Fast diffusion of protocols Code of Conduct • Free distribution of software • - Share of informations • - Request for comments (RFQ’s) + University Research Tradition

7. Author´s lessons from the Internet History 60’s conservative attitude of major companies towards investment All funding came from Government institutions Government’s control of ARPA Obstacle to it’s connection with other countries Autonomous Networks, conference systems (80’s) Companies awaked for the potencial and started to adopt internal networks Impact of autonomous networks was decisive for global expansion

8. Social/Institutional Organization Technical Architecture -Flexibility of communication protocols (TCP/IP) -Governance of the internet -Coordination of functions in the network: agreement on standards, shared protocol, descentralised structure -Prevailed over the international standard communication protocol (x.25) Author´s lessons from the Internet History “An Architecture of Openness”

9. “Self-evolution of the internet” -Users became producers of technology and shapers of the whole network Learning by producing Diffusion and enhancement of new technology Internet Growth (networks and range of applications) Author´s lessons from the Internet History Timespan of “Learning by using & Producing by using” is shortened

10. Author´s lessons from the Internet History The author´s “recipe” • Sequencial evolution of the internet base values: Networking architecture must be open-ended, decentralized, distributed and multidirectional in its interactivity Communication protocols must be open, distributed and susceptible of modification Institutions of governance of the network must be built in accordance with the principles of openness and cooperation (embedded in the Internet)

11. “An Architecture of Openness” Social/Institutional Organization Technical Architecture “Self-evolution of the internet” Our opinion and relevant aspects for the course • An extended relation: • Hot groups • Invention vs. Innovation • Users key producers of technology: ”Market Pull or Technological Push”? • Knowledge transference