Computer Networks: The Heralds of Resource Sharing
Computer Networks: The Heralds of Resource Sharing is a short documentary film from 1972, produced by Steven King and directed/edited by Peter Chvany, about ARPANET, an early packet-switching network and one of the first networks to implement the protocol suite TCP/IP.
Content
[edit | edit source]The 30 minute film features many of the most important names in computer networking, especially J. C. R. Licklider and others from MIT's Project MAC who had connected a computer to ARPANET the year before.[1] According to a history of computing equipment by Columbia University it "begins with a montage of equipment ... and then has interviews with ARPANET creators."[2] The film discusses "the potential that this network has for revolutionizing so many industries and institutions".[3] Bob Kahn presents concepts originally published by Donald Davies at the inaugural Symposium on Operating Systems Principles, which were being implemented in the ARPANET.[4][5][6]
Participants
[edit | edit source]Speaking parts:
- Fernando J. Corbató (Corby):[1] (voice 0:45-1:15, face 1:00-1:15, 15:10-15:40) Turing Award winner, implementer of multitasking operating systems.
- J. C. R. Licklider (Lick):[1] (1:00-1:40), and many times throughout the film. Licklider discusses how, despite the invention of the printing press being a revolution, the transmission of information on paper was slow.[7] He also discusses collaboration, access to digital libraries, the transition to electronic information and the social processes involved in this.[8]
- Lawrence G. Roberts: (voice 1:40-2:25) SIGCOMM Award winner.
- Robert Kahn: (2:25-2:35, 3:15-6:25, 6:55-) Turing Award winner.
- Frank Heart: (2:35-3:15, 6:25-6:55)
- William R. Sutherland (Bert): (13:50-15:10)
- Richard W. Watson: (17:34-18:30, 25:05-25:15) mass storage researcher
- John R. Pasta: (18:30-19:25)
- Donald W. Davies: (19:25-21:55) packet switching inventor.
- George W. Mitchell: (21:55-24:05, voice only)
Non-speaking:
- Daniel L. Murphy: (Behind the titles, several other times including about 15:44)
Unidentified:
- (8:27-8:32, with beard and glasses): previously misidentified as Jon Postel
Reception
[edit | edit source]Cory Doctorow called the documentary a "fantastic 30 minutes of paleo-nerd memorabilia".[9] Matt Novak of Gizmodo said "When you hear a man like J.C.R. Licklider describe the information age before it had even begun to trickle into the public consciousness, we understand how forward-thinking these people developing the ARPANET in the late 1960s and early 1970s truly were."[3] Mark Liberman described it as "amazing".[8]
See also
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- History of the Internet
- List of Internet pioneers
- Nerds 2.0.1 – 1998 documentary about the development of the ARPANET, the Internet, and the World Wide Web
- Protocol Wars
- Resource sharing
References
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External links
[edit | edit source]- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). - full film
- Transcript