Timeline: Internet, Federal Govt, and Communications

Reuters established [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

The New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company established [WU]

New York Times founded [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Western Union completes first transcontinental line [WU]

Pony Express comes to an end [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Western Union introduces stock ticker [WU] Western Union acquires US Telegraph and American Telegraph.

First North american Telephone Exchange in New Haven, CT [AT&T]

SNET established.

Herman Hollerith develops first punch card machine

AT&T opens first long distance line between NY and Chicago Rate was $9 for 5 minutes [AT&T]

Bell telephone patents expire [AT&T]

Marconi successfully transmits radio signal 2 miles in Italy [Hughes]

Tabulating Machine Company established by Hollerith

Marconi gives first public demonstration of wireless telegraph [Alliance]

Marconi successfully transmits radio signal across Atlantic. [Hughes] [FCC]

Congress creates National Bureau of Standards (will become National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)) [ITL]

First short wave radio broadcasts [Alliance]

Legislation

• Copyright Act of 1909

Titanic sinks - its radio calls for help go unheard [Media Timeline ketupa.net] [Faulhaber] [FCC]

Radio Act of 1912 gives Secretary of Commerce and Labor authority to issue radio licenses and control broadcasting [FCC]

ASCAP founded [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Calculating-Tabulating-Recording company (aka IBM) founded by Herman Hollerith [Griffiths]

CTR formed out of merger of Computing Scale Company, Tabulating Machine Company, and the Recording Company

AT&T introduces first dial telephone. [AT&T]

KDKA Pittsburgh broadcasts first regular programs [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Hush-a-phone starts being made.

ASCAP demands royalties from radio stations [Alliance]

First Radio daily news. First Radio commercials. [Alliance]

NIST builds first AC radio. [NIST Centennial]

Disney opens Hollywood film studio [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

FTC initiates anti trust investigation of RCA, GE, Westinghouse, AT&T and United Fruit [Alliance]

NIST radio station WWV goes online [NIST Centennial]

Calculating-Tabulating-Recording company becomes IBM [Griffiths]

Bell labs invents mobile phone. [Alliance]

First presidential speech broadcast [Alliance]

FCC

• Radio Act of 1927 creates the Federal Radio Commission, declares spectrum to be a public good

Industry

• Philo Farnsworth successfully transmits first image [Hughes]
• AT&T begins transatlantic service [AT&T]

CBS created [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Olmstead v US (telephone calls not protected by 4th Amendment)

First telephone installed in White House [Alliance]

Cathorade tube invented [Alliance]

GE ordered to divest RCA and NBC [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

ITU established [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Communications Act of 1934 establishes the Federal Communications Commission . Eugene Sykes (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Anning Prall (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Frank McNinch (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

First publicly broadcast football game, U Penn [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

War of the Worlds broadcast [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Silicon Valley born in a garage by HP [Nerds]

National Federation of Telephone Workers formed.

AT&T demonstrates Picturephone [TCMHC]

First FM radio station [Alliance]

Frank McNinch (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; James Lawrence Fly (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

CBS demonstrates color TV [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

First remote job entry, George Stibitz demonstrated remote calculation via a teletype demonstrated between Dartmouth and Manhattan during meeting of the American Mathematical Society [Salus p 1]

United States enters World War II

FCC promulgates national TV ownership rules.

Western Union pioneers first intercity microwave system [WU]

First African American woman, Gloria Shepperson, is hired by Bell System

IBM built the Harvard Mark I, first large scale electronic calculator, in order to calculate gun-firing tables [Griffiths]

ENIAC created and used by US Army, at U Penn, to compute World War II ballistic firing tables

Alan Turing leads British effort to build Colossus at Bletchley Park, breaks German code created by ENIGMA [Griffiths]

FCC Mayflower Doctrine

James Lawrence Fly (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Ewell Jett (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Ewell Jett (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Paul Porter (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Supreme Court upholds media ownership rules, finding that mergers that narrow dissemination of information are unconstitutional [Alliance]

Vannevar Bush, As We May Think, Atlantic Monthly (July 1945)

Vannevar Bush, Science - The Endless Frontier Report to the President

"Formal dedication and dinner for ENIAC - The world's first operational electronic digital computer - developed by Army Ordinance to computer WWII ballistic firing tables." [CFP 2002 Calendar ]

NIST establishes an automated electronic computing project. [NIST Centennial]

AT&T introduces mobile telephone service. [AT&T]

Paul Porter (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Charles Denny (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Administrative Procedures Act enacted.

ENIAC patent filed

NIST builds computers for government agencies. [NIST Centennial]

ITU becomes part of UN [Media Timeline ketupa.net]

Transistor invented at Bell Labs [Hughes] [AT&T]

McCarthy Red-fear era begins

Communications Workers of America union formed.

FCC

• Charles Denny (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Paul Walker (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]
• Paul Walker (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Wayne Coy (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Cable television service begins [Cable]

BBN Founded [BBN]

NIST's Standards Eastern Automatic Computer (SEAC) goes online. "First operational, internally programmed digital computer in the United States. It served the government for more than 13 years, handling tasks such as Air Force planning, Social Security accounting, and checking of calculations for the design of the hydrogen bomb." [NIST Centennial]

National Science Foundation established.

USGovt sues IBM for antitrust [Media Timeline ketupa.net ]

Wayne Coy (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Paul Walker (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

IBM ships its first electronic computer, the 700 series [Griffiths] [IBM]

Paul Walker (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Rosel Hyde (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Consent Decree between DOJ and AT&T : Prohibits AT&T through its manufacturing subsidiary Western Electric from making non telecommunications related computing equipment (in other words, AT&T could not compete with IBM!) [Lehr]

DC Cir rules that you can attach a Hush-a-phone to an AT&T phone.

FCC rules that cable television is not common carriage and therefore the FCC lacks jurisdiction over Cable. Frontier Broadcasting Company v. Collier, 24 FCC 251 [Cable]

USSR launches Sputnik I (Oct 4) NIST modifies equipment so as to receive transmissions from Sputnik. [NIST Centennial]

Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) formed. [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [DARPA]

George McConnaughey (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; John Doerfer (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

NASA formed, transferring missile responsibility from ARPA to NASA (summer). [Griffiths] [Nerds]

UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space established [Hughes]

AT&T introduces first commercial modem. [AT&T]

Publication of Man-Computer Symbiosis by JCR Licklider [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

John Doerfer (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Frederick Ford (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

BBN leased Digital Equipment Corporations first PDP-1 computer with serial number 1 [BBN]

Radical group blew up 4 microwave towers in Utah, cutting off communications to Western USA, and demonstrating the vulnerability of the US communications network. [Shabot] [Salus p 1, 5] See Images of damage, at AT&T Long Lines. These was a driving force in DOD's concern about the survivability of the US Communications network, and hiring Paul Baran.

President Kennedy commits nation to landing a man on the moon. [NIST Centennial]

Industry

• IBM introduces time sharing and remote access computers [Griffiths]
• Commercial production of computer chip initiates [Griffiths]

Internet

• Publication of Leonard Kleinrock, Information Flow in Large Communications Nets, RLE Quarterly Progress Report (July) [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [ACM] [Roberts]

FCC

• FCC Chairman Newton Minow refers to TV as a "vast wasteland" [Alliance]
• Frederick Ford (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Newton Minow (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Legislation

• Wire Act passed.

Internet

• ARPA establishes Information Processing Techniques Office - IPTO; Licklider hired as director [TCMHC] [Roberts]
• Publication of Licklider, JCR, and Clark, W, On-line Man-Computer Communication [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [ACM] [Roberts]
• Publication of John Licklider, "Galatic Networks" [Griffiths] [TCMHC]
• Publication of Paul Baran, Rand, On Distributed Communications Networks [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [Salus p 1]

Industry

• BBN demonstrates computer time-sharing [BBN]

FCC

• FCC withholds licenses of Pacifica stations KPFA, KPFB, and KPFK pending investigation into communist affiliations. [Pacifica]
• FCC regulates cable television pursuant to ancillary jurisdiction.

ARPA contracts with UCLA, MIT and BBN [TCMHC]

BBN developes first voice modem, DataDail [BBN]

Newton Minow (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; E William Henry (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Internet

• Paul Baran, Rand, On Distributed Communications Networks, IEEE Transactions on Systems [Roberts] [IP Baran]
• JCR Licklider and Larry Roberts meet (November) [Roberts]

Industry

• INTELSAT established [Hughes]
• IBM releases System 360 mainframe [TCMHC]
• SABRE air travel computer network goes online for air travel reservations
• Tymshare Founded [CHM]

ARPA funds first wide-area network built by Larry Roberts and Thomas Marill [TCMHC]

ARPA funded JOSS system goes online [TCMHC]

Gordon Moore sets forth Moore's law

DEC releases PDP-8 minicomputer [TCMHC] [IBM]

"AT&T installs the world's first electronic telephone switch (special purpose computer) in a local telephone exchange, Succasunna, NJ." [AT&T]

Larry Roberts joins ARPA IPTO, becoming chief scientist [TCMHC]

Merit (Michigan Educational Research Information Triad) established. [Merit History]

FCC

• FCC initiates Computer Inquiry I.
• E William Henry (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Rosel Hyde (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Internet

• ARPA creates ARPANET plans. [TCMHC]
• Larry Roberts, Multiple Computer Networks and Intercomputer Communication, Proceedings of the ACM Gatlinburg Conference (October) [ACM] [Roberts]

Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, establishing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Jef Raskin writes PhD thesis on GUI

Katz v US (4th Amendment applies to people, not places; therefore 4th Amendment applies to private telephone calls)

ARPANET

• ARPA RFP for construction of first four IMPs on ARPANet (August) [PBS Nerds2.0.1][Roberts]
• ARPA awards contract to BBN for development of ARPANET IMPs (December) [TCMHC][Roberts]

FCC releases Carterphone decision (CPE)

National Bureau of Standards approved and released FIPS 1, Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) [ITL] "All computers procured by the federal government after mid-1969 had to be capable of using ASCII, which was originally developed by an industry standards committee chaired by a NIST staff member." [NIST Centennial]

Industry

• AT&T introduces 911 service [AT&T]
• Steve Jobs meets Steve Wozniak
• MCI established.

Compuserve Founded

ARPANET

• Steve Croker, RFC 0001: Host Software released (April 7) [TCMHC] [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [ACM]
• First IMP installed at UCLA (Len Kleinrock) (Sept 1) [Roberts] [BBN]
• Second IMP installed at SRI (Doug Engelbart); First communication over ARPANet between computers at UCLA and Stanford. (10:30 pm) (Oct 29) [Griffiths] [Living History] [Engelbart]
• Third IMP installed at UCSB (Nov 1)[Roberts]
• Fourth IMP installed at Uni Utah (Dec 1) [Roberts] [Griffiths]
• Network Working Group formed (RFC 10) [TCMHC]

NSF grants $400,000 to MERIT for "Development of a Prototype Network of Computer Services for Self-Instruction and Teaching" [Merit History]

Rosel Hyde (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Dean Burch (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

National Bureau of Standards establishes Center for Computer Science and Technology [ITL]

General

• ARPANet adopts NCP [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Network Working Group completes the Network Control Protocol (NCP), network protocol for ARPANet (implementation of NCP completed 1971-72) (December) [TCMHC] [ACM]
• Alohanet goes online [Nerds]
• Jon Postel, somewhere around this time, volunteers to manage the networks names and numbers, what will become the IANA function, conducted at ISI UCLA with DARPA funding

Industry

• AT&T develops UNIX [TCMHC] [AT&T]
• EEOC charges AT&T with discrimination.
• XEROX PARC opens [Parc]

Internet

• Telnet protocol released by NWG [TCMHC]
• 23 Host Computers on ARPANet [Griffiths] 15 Nodes on ARPANet [Nerds]
• First email sent on ARPANet by Ray Tomlinson "testing 1-2-3" sent to himself [Griffiths Email] [BBN]
• BBN establishes first Network Operations Center (NOC) [BBN]

FCC

• FCC Computer I order

Release of Jon Postel and Abhay Bhushan, RFC 354, FTP Protocol Specification [Roberts] [Nerds]

Robert Kahn, Communications Principles for Operating Systems, Internal BBN Memo [ACM]

ARPANet Publicly Demonstrated at International Conference on Computer Communications [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

Internetworking Working Group organized [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

AT&T developers C [TCMHC]

AT&T declines ARPA's offer to take over the ARPANet.

Ray Tomlinson (BBN) writes email program for ARPANet, adopting use of @ sign [TCMHC] [ACM]

Steve Jobs gets a job at Atari

Internet

• BBN Encrypts first message over ARPANet [BBN]
• Bob Kahn joins DARPA [TCMHC]
• Release of RFC 454: FTP [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• DARPA contracts with Stanford, BBN, and University College of London for work on TCP [TCMHC]
• Kahn and Cerf present paper on TCP at International Network Working Group meeting [TCMHC]
• Larry Roberts leaves DARPA, Joins Telenet, first commercial packet switched network; Telenet files application with FCC seeking permission under Title II to operate a communications network
• Licklider returns to ARPA IPTO as director

Xerox Parc invents distributed computing. Alto personal computer becomes operational. Ethernet invented. [Parc]

Bob Metcalfe competes PhD thesis on Ethernet [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

FCC authorizes MCI to offer foreign exchange service.

Internet

• Licklider returns to DARPA [TCMHC]
• Publication of Kahn and Cerf, A Protocol for Packet Network Interconnection, IEEE Transactions on Communications Technology (May) [TCMHC] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• 62 hosts on ARPANet [Nerds p 376]

Industry

• Telenet opened by Larry Roberts [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [BBN] FCC approves of Telenet's application to become a common carrier
• Western Union launches Western I, first domestic communications satellite [WU]
• MCI and DOJ bring antitrust suits against AT&T

Dean Burch (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Dick Wiley (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Internet

• Administration of ARPANet transferred from DARPA to Defense Communications Agency (aka DISA) [TCMHC] [Nerds p 376]

Industry

• Microsoft founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen
• HBO begins service [Cable]
• Sprint launches first public data network [Sprint]
• Xerox Parc demonstrates GUI [Parc]

FCC

• George Carlin's Seven Dirty Words routine on Pacifica Radio ("Seven Dirty Words" is currently the name of the Federal Communication Bar Association's ultimate frisbee team) [Pacifica]
• FCC adopts Part 68 rules, permitting CPE attachments to the telephone network.

Internet

• Vint Cerf joins ARPA (July) [Nerds p 376]
• DARPA supports work at UC Berkeley to incorporate TCP/IP into UNIX [TCMHC]
• Queen Elizabeth sends an email.

FCC

• Computer II Notice of Inquiry

Industry

• HP turns down Wozniak's proposal for the Apple I computer
• Commodore turns down Wozniak's proposal for the Apple II computer
• Wozniak and Jobs begin to produce Apple computers out of a garage. [IBM]
• Tymnet established as a subsidiary of Tymshare. Offers FCC Tarriffed computer network services. [CHM]

Legislation

• Copyright Act of 1976

Internet

• "First TCP Operation over ARPANet" (October) [Roberts]
• 111 Hosts on ARPAnet [Nerds p 377]
• Tymnet launched [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• BBN developes first Internet routers [BBN]
• USENET established [IBM]

Industry

• Apple introduces APPLE II [TCMHC]
• Apple founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak (Jan 3)
• Tandy introduces TRS-80 [TCMHC]
• AT&T installs first fiber optic cable in commercial communications [AT&T]

Dick Wiley (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Charles Ferris (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

National Bureau of Standards approves FIPS 46, Data Encryption Standard (DES) [ITL]

Internet

• Potentially the first SPAM on the Net, a commercial announcement by DEC promoting the DECSYSTEM 2020 (May 1) [Reaction to the DEC Spam of 1978]
• Vint Cerf, Jon Postel, Danny Cohen, TCP split into TCP/IP (March) [Roberts]

Industry

• Last manual, non dial, telephone retired [AT&T]

Internet

• Compuserve offers email and tech support for PC users
• USENET established [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• USPS attempts to outlaw private email service, retaining message delivery business for itself; this effort is thwarted by the FCC and the US Postal Commissionm.

FCC

• FCC Grants GTE's application to acquire Telenet
• FCC asserts jurisdiction over USPS E-COM electronic mail service, and concludes that email is common carriage.
• FCC Chair Ferris recruits S. J. Lukasik to be FCC Chief Scientist in the Office of Science & Technology (currently the Office of Engineering and Technology); Lukasik was Chief of ARPA from 1971 to 1973. Lukasik meets Michael Marcus at a meeting in Chicago; they had met previously when Marcus administered ARPA R&D projects in nuclear test detection. Lukasik offers Marcus job at FCC. [M Marcus 2008] [Lukasik 1982]

National Bureau of Standards approves FIPS 60, I/O Channel Interface [ITL]

Internet

• TCP/IP "adopted as a defense standard in 1980, enabling the defense community to begin sharing the DARPA Internet technology base" [ACM]

Industry

• Apple goes public
• IBM chooses DOS for use in its PCs [TCMHC]

FCC

• FCC Computer II Decision

1981

Fowler

Internet

• DARPA Internet Working Group releases RFC 801 setting forth plan to migrate network to TCP/IP [TCMHC]
• 213 nodes on ARPAnet [Nerds p 377]
• NSF grant goes to establish CSNET (Computer Science Network) - uses TCP/IP in CSNET [PBS Nerds2.0.1] CSNet established by City University New York [Griffiths]
• BITNET established [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• David Clark, Jerome Saltzer, and David Reed, End-to-end architecture
• IETF RFC 799, Internet Name Domains
• NSF starts CSNNET

Industry

• IBM releases PC
• Osborne releases portable computer [TCMHC]

Judiciary

• Federal appeals court rules that it is illegal to sell the betamax VCR. [Home Recording Rights Coalition]

FCC

• Charles Ferris (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Robert E Lee (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]
• Robert E Lee (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Mark Fowler (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

FCC

• Judge Green approves of the Modified Final Judgment providing for divestiture of AT&T
• Stephen Lukasik departs from the position of FCC Chief Scientist (had been Chief of ARPA from 1971 to 1975).

Internet

• TCP/IP adopted as protocol suite for ARPANET [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Release of RFC 819, defining initial top level domain ARPA [Donelan]

Industry

• USPS Introduces E-COM (messages originate electronically, are printed off at a post office, and delivered in hard copy form; this service would only last 3 years and reportedly lost significant money for USPS)
• IBM introduces IBM PC
• Time names computer as "Man of the Year"

Internet

• ARPANet migrates from NCP to TCP/IP (Jan 1) [TCMHC] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• 562 hosts on ARPAnet [Nerds p 378]
• ARPANet split into ARPANet and Milnet [Roberts]

General

• Bill Gates announces windows, which will not be released for another 4 years.

DNS

• DNS "designed by Jon Postel, Paul Mockapetris, and Craig Patridge" November [Roberts] [Nerds p 378]
• DNS name server developed [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

Industry

• LLDS established
• BBN Communications launched [BBN]

FCC

• MTS and WATS Market Structure Order

FCC

• Consent Decree with AT&T goes into effect. AT&T is broken up into AT&T long distance and the Bell Operating Companies. (Jan 1)

Internet

• DNS introduced. [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1] Release of RFC 920,Domain Requirements (adds GOV, EDU, COM, MIL and ORG) (October)[Donelan]
• NSF Launches its Supercomputing program
• 1000 hosts on Internet 562 hosts on ARPAnet [Nerds p 378]
• William Gibson in his book Neuromancer reportedly coins the term "cyberspace" [TCMHC]

Legislation

• Cable Act of 1984

Industry

• Prodigy Founded
• Richard Stallman founds GNU Project [IBM]
• Apple announces macintosh (Jan 24) [TCMHC]

Internet

• "Symbolics.com registered" (Mar. 15) [Donelan] BBN.COM is second commercial domain name registered [BBN]
• "Berkeley releases BIND" (Apr 1) [Donelan]
• NSFNET Established, using TCP/IP, AUP prohibited network use for purposes "not in support of research and education." Funded at $200 m 1986-95 [Griffiths] [ACM]
• "DARPA/DCA implements RFC 920, 921 (U.S.C. §-ISI/SR-NIC)" [Donelan]
• The WELL goes online

Industry

• Quantum Computer Services (AOL) incorporated
• GE reacquires NBC
• MS releases Windows 1.0

FCC Release Computer Inquiry III Inquiry

Internet

• Cleveland Freenet established (first freenet) (Jul 16) [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• IETF first meeting [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Network News Transfer Protocol introduced [IBM]
• First 'netiquette' guide created [Griffiths Email]
• NSFNET established [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• 5000 hosts on Internet 562 hosts on ARPAnet [Nerds p 379]
• NSF signs cooperative agreement with Merit.net for operation of NSFNET [TCMHC]
• Al Gore introduces National Science Foundation Authorization Act, supporting computer network research [Wiggins]
• Clifford Stoll of Berkeley, detecting a 75 cent accounting error, uncovers the allegedly Russian sponsored hacker "Hunter" who had been using the Berkeley systems to attack sensitive US information over the network. The investigation of the hacker led to the publication of "The Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy Through The Maze of Computer Espionage (1989)
• First Interop conference (for vendors implementing TCP/IP) [Roberts]

Industry

• United Telecom becomes Sprint.
• Sprint starts long distance service, with its "pin-drop" commercials [Sprint]

Law

• ECPA signed into law (Oct 21)

FCC

• FCC releases Computer III Order

Internet

• NSF enters into a cooperative agreement with Merit Network, Inc for the operation of NSFNET [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• UUNET founded by Rick Adams and Mike O'Dell [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• IBM VM Christmas Card Trojan Worm released [CIAC]

Industry

• DSL introduced
• Sprint completes its 100% digital fiber network [Sprint]
• UUNet Founded
• Microsoft releases Windows 2.0 [IBM]

FCC

• Mark Fowler (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Dennis Patrick (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

National Bureau of Standards approves FIPS 127, Database Language SQL [ITL]

Computer Security Act (PL 100-235) formally assigned to National Bureau Standards responsibility for computer security for unclassified federal systems.

Cybersecurity

• Morris Worm released (Nov 2) [PBS Nerds2.0.1] CERT established by DARPA in response to Morris worm [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• 2400 Baud Modem Virus Hoax released

Industry

• First Interop conference (for vendors implementing TCP/IP) (1988)[TCMHC] [ACM]

Government

• US Government releases procurement requirement that OSI must be supported in IT [TCMHC]
• National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (PL 100-418) renamed the National Bureau of Standards to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Legislation

• Al Gore introduces National High-Performance Computer Technology Act of 1988 [Wiggins]

Internet

• CSNET and BITNET merged to become Corporation for Research and Educational Networking (CREN) [Living Internet]
• Publication of Kahn, Towards a National Research Network [Wiggins]
• IANA funded by DOD DARPA

1989

Sikes

Legislation

• The Berne Convention Implementation Act

Industry

• "AOL Service Launched for Macintosh and Apple II"
• "Steve Case wins contest to rename the Quantum online service & America Online is born. The AOL service is launched including e-mail, games, special interest forums, plus a groundbreaking feature allowing AOL members to communicate in one-on-one, real tim [AOL]
• PSINet founded

Internet

• NSF, ARPA fund Gigabit Testbed by Kahn and Cerf at CNRI [TCMHC]
• "Internet opened to commercial mail through MCI mail" [Roberts]
• World Wide Web developed by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN [Griffiths] [W3C]
• First commercial dial up ISP: World world.std.com [PBS Nerds2.0.1] [TheWorld]

FCC

• Dennis Patrick (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; Alfred Sikes (Republican) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Internet

• ARPANet Terminated [Griffiths] [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Archie, first search engine, developed at McGill University [Griffiths]

FCC

• FCC Computer III Order vacated and remanded ; FCC Computer III Remand Order

Industry

• CISCO IPO
• UUNet launches Alternet

Internet

• Tim Berners-Lee WWW files made available on The Net via FTP (August) [W3C]
• NSF assumes control of civilian Internet
• NSF permits private and commercial access to NSFNET backbone [TCMHC]
• NSF permits private / commercial+E24 access to NSFNET backbone [Griffiths]
• Phil Zimmerman releases PGP [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Mark McCahill releases Gopher [Wiggins]
• Trojan Room Coffee Pot goes online (first webcam)

Industry

• AOL releases DOS Version of AOL
• Commercial Internet eXchange founded

FCC

• BOCs permitted to fully enter the enhanced services market.

Legislation

• "Gore Act" passed US High Performance Computing Act creating National Research and Education Network [TCMHC]

Internet

• 50 websites world wide [Griffiths]
• ISOC Formed
• Mark Andreesen develops MOSAIC at University of Illinois

Industry

• Microsoft releases Windows 3.1 [IBM]

Legislation

• Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act
• The Audio Home Recording Act

1993

Legislation

• US National Information Infrastructure Act [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

Industry

• SouthWestern Bell becomes SBC.
• FleetNet becomes Nextel.

Internet

• CERN declares that WWW technology will be freely available [W3C] 150 websites world wide [Griffiths]
• Marc Andreesen's Mosaic Browser released, alpha version while at at National Center for SuperComputing Applications, Illinois [W3C]
• White House and UN go online [Nerds p 380]
• NSF creates InterNIC. ATT awarded contract for directory and database services, Network Solutions Inc awarded contract for DNS registration, General Atomics/CERFNet awarded contract for information services [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

FCC

• Alfred Sikes (Republican) resigns as FCC Chairman; James Quello (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]
• James Quello (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; Reed Hundt (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]

Internet

• W3C Founded [W3C]
• "Sprint employee registers the domain name MCI.NET (first namejacking?)" [Donelan]
• 3000 websites world wide [Griffiths]
• "Good Times Virus" Hoax released [CIAC]
• Paul Vixie founds ISC

FCC

• FCC Computer III Vacated

Legislation

• CALEA signed into law

Industry

• Mosaic founded by Marc Andreesen and Jim Clarke (becomes Netscape) [W3C] Netscape 1.0 released
• "AOL links to Internet for first time" [AOL]
• Yahoo! (known as Jerry and David's Guide to the WWW) is created [Yahoo!]
• BBN Planet (ISP) formed [BBN]

Legislation

• Senator Exon introduces the Communications Decency Act (Feb 1)
• The Digital Performance Right in Sound Record Act of 1995
• Copyright Act of 1995

Internet

• NSF contract with NSI amended, permits NSI to charge for DNS registration [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• 25,000 websites world wide [Griffiths]
• NSF establishes very high speed Backbone Network Service vBNS [PBS Nerds2.0.1] "NSFNET Reverts back to a research network" [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• Listserv funded [Griffiths Email]
• MS releases Windows 95 with Internet Explorer
• Internet Gambling starts.

Industry

• Prodigy Founded [Griffiths Email]
• Netscape IPO released [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• UUNet IPO
• VocalTec introduces Internet telephony software
• LLDS becomes WCOM.
• Yahoo! incorporated [Yahoo!]

Govt

• NIST removes GOSIP procurement requirement.

Internet

• Internet2 formed
• Xanga, the first blog service, launched

Legislation

• Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Feb. 8) (includes Communications Decency Act)
• Child Pornography Prevention Act
• E-FOIA Act

DNS

• IAHC formed, releases proposed plan to establish 7 new top level domain names [PBS Nerds2.0.1]

Industry

• "AOL publicly traded on NYSE for first time" [AOL]
• Time Warner initiates Road Runner service. (a)Home initiated in San Francisco [Cable]
• AT&T divests Lucent.
• SBC acquires PacTel.
• Qwest founded.
• MFS acquires UUNet.
• WCOM acquires MFS
• Yahoo! IPO [Yahoo!]
• Palm Pilot goes on the market [Pew]

FCC

• ACTA files petition at FCC requesting that Internet telephony be regulated under title II (the FCC never closed this proceeding). Voice on the Network Coalition formed in response.

1997

Judicial

• US Supreme Court unanimously strikes down Communications Decency Act as unconstitutional abridgement of free speech (Jun 26)

DNS

• "Kashpureff corrupts DNS caches redirecting www.internic.net traffic." [Donelan]
• ARIN established [PBS Nerds2.0.1]
• NTIA Releases DNS RFC
• IAHC gTLD-MOU released and signed

Intellectual Property

• WIPO Copyright Treaty

Industry

• WCOM acquires MFS.
• Yahoo! Mail launches [Yahoo!]
• GTE Acquires BBN [BBN]

FCC

• Reed Hundt (Democrat) resigns as FCC Chairman; William Kennard (Democrat) is named as FCC Chairman [FCC]
• FCC UNII Order (designating spectrum in 5 GHz range which will be used by WiFi)
• OSP Working Paper 30: Digital Tornado: The Internet and Telecommunications Policy

DNS

• Jon Postel redirects Root away from NetSol and to IANA. White House calls and tells him to stop. [Donelan] [Wikipedia]
• NTIA Releases Green Paper proposal on DNS
• NTIA releases White Paper.
• ICANN Formed, MOU signed with DOC.
• Jon Postel passes away.
• Intellectual Infrastructure Fund, collected by NSI, declared to be an unconstitutional tax.

Legislation

• Children's Online Protection Act passed as part of omnibus budget bill
• Children Online Privacy Protection Act passed
• DMCA signed into law

FCC

• FCC Steven's Report to Congress on VoIP.
• FCC creates ERate program.
• Initial Sec. 706 Petitions
• OSP Working Paper 30: Internet Over Cable: Defining the Future In Terms of the Past

Industry

• SBC acquires SNET.
• Bell Atlantic acquires NYNEX.
• MCI acquires WCOM.
• WCOM acquires Compuserve
• Blogger.com launched
• Google opens its (garage) doors [Google]

Judicial

• COPA declared unconstitutional by district court

History

• CNN interview between Wolf Blitzer and Al Gore in which Gore stated "I took the initiative in creating the Internet." Gore was referring to his support of legislation to fund national information infrastructures such as NSFNET. This quote quickly became [Wiggins]

Legislation

• Anti Cybersquatter Protection Act passed.

DNS

• ISI UCLA transfers IANA to ICANN

Cybercrime

• David Smith enters guilty plea for disseminating the Melissa virus.

Intellectual Property

• DeCSSS program created.
• Netscape releases source code and declares it open
• Napster Created [Pew]

Industry

• AOL acquired Netscape [AOL]
• AT&T / TCI Merger (FCC rejects Open Access Arguments)
• DOCSIS 1.0 Issued by Cablelabs
• Google removes "Beta" from its website [Google]
• Cogent starts operations [Cogent]
• PSINet buys naming rights to the Baltimore Ravens football stadium

VoIP

• Packetcable VoIP service initiated in Union, NJ. Charter initiates VoIP service in Fitchburg, WI [Cable]

FCC

• First Sec. 706 Report
• FCC concludes that ISP-bound telephone traffic does not fit under Reciprocal Compensation regime
• OSP Working Paper 31: The FCC and the Unregulation of the Internet

Judicial

• Universal City Studios, Inc. V. Reimerdes, 11 FSupp2d 294 (2000)

Internet

• First Internet election, Arizona democratic primary (Mar 1)
• COPA Commission released its final report (Oct 20)
• ITU adopted Recommendation D.50 (ICAIS); USG took a reservation

DNS

• "Internet2 backbone network deploys IPv6" (May 16)

Industry

• Verizon acquires GTE (and BBN) and spins off Genuity. [BBN]
• Qwest acquires USWest and becomes a BOC.
• WCOM/ Sprint merger rejected by DOJ and EU
• Data traffic exceeds voice traffic on AT&T network for first time [AT&T]

FCC

• FCC concludes that "broadband" is 200 kbps.
• FCC Initiates Cable Open Access proceeding
• FCC Releases Second Sec. 706 Report.
• FCC Rejects Internet Ventures Petition
• OSP Working Paper 32: The Digital Handshake: Connecting Internet Backbones
• OSP Working Paper 33: Bill and Keep at the Central Office As the Efficient Interconnection Regime
• OSP Working Paper 34: A Competitively Neutral Approach to Network Interconnection

2001

Industry

• AOLTW Merger Completed [AOL]
• Apple Introduces iPod and iTunes
• AT&T divests AT&T Wireless
• AT&T / MediaOne Merger
• DOCSIS 2.0 Released by Cablelabs
• Google acquires Deja.com (USENET archive) [Google]
• PSINet declares bankruptcy
• Wikipedia Goes Online [