packet-switching

The chapter introduces the history of the Web through 100 key ideas, beginning with early visionary projects like the Mundaneum by Paul Otlet, which anticipated many aspects of the modern Web including semantic linking and global knowledge networks. It then traces foundational internet technologies developed during the Cold War era, such as packet switching, ARPANET, hypertext inspired by Vannevar Bush, the modem's role in connecting computers socially, and the graphical user interface that made computing accessible to a wider audience, setting the stage for the Web's global adoption.

The chapter explores the transformative potential of fiber-optic technology in vastly expanding bandwidth capacity, contrasting it with the limitations of copper wires and wireless spectrum. It introduces the 'Negroponte Switch,' predicting a reversal in the roles of wired and wireless communications due to bandwidth dynamics. The discussion critiques the rush toward unlimited bandwidth infrastructure, emphasizing efficient use of moderate bandwidth through data compression and shared knowledge, while also addressing the evolving economics of digital communication where bits have variable value and network architectures converge toward more personalized, packet-switched systems.

This chapter surveys three vintage computing systems: the CDC 6600, the Interface Message Processor (IMP), and the Honeywell H316 Kitchen Computer. The CDC 6600, designed by Seymour Cray, was notable for its speed, innovative architecture, and cooling system, primarily used in scientific and nuclear research. The IMP was a pioneering packet router for the ARPANET, enabling reliable computer networking through packet switching, while the Honeywell Kitchen Computer was an early, commercially unsuccessful attempt to bring computing into domestic spaces.