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How the ARPANET Protocols Worked (2021) (twobithistory.org)
81 points by whatrocks on Feb 4, 2023 | hide | past | favorite | 3 comments



If this is a subject that interests you, I highly recommend the book Where Wizards Stay Up Late[0]. This blog post really just scratches the surface. And if reading about network protocols is your kind of thing, I definitely suggest reading the RFC[1].

0. https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/281818

1. https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc33.html

edit: formatting


I found the beginning of RFC 47 (linked from RFC 33) also interesting [1]:

> BBN's Comments on NWG/RFC #33

> BBN has given us the attached comments on NWG/RFC 33, but wouldn't publish them being relectant to embarrass us. Embarrassment notwith- standing, we found the comments particularly useful and decided to share them with our friends. Bill Crowther is the author.

[1] https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc47


We need to be studying the history of protocols more than ever. If we're going to break out of these centralised silo's it's only going to happen through the creation of new protocols that help us rebuild for a more decentralised and federated future. ARPANET is a study in the bridge from one era to the next. It was not the lasting phase. We evolved beyond it to create the lasting protocols. I think crypto/web3 was a premature effort that might setup something real to come in the future. This idea of trustless and permissionless blockchain protocols that can be operated in global networks is really key. We just have to find a way to cross the chasm like we did in the past.




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