On 7/12/2014 3:43 PM, Barry Shein wrote:
I don't recall whether CSnet had any commercial members.
Apple was a CSNET 56k customer.
As I recall, Schlumberger (http://www.slb.com/, a research site of theirs on the west coast) was one of the earliest CSNet member. So was HP. I put Schlumberger online circa 1981 or 1982. I believe they were among the first 5-10 sites I brought up. At that stage, it was only email relaying, of course. Packet services were later. Also, although CSNet started with NSF money, it was required to become self-funded within 5 years. Albeit on a non-profit financial model, I'd claim that that made it, essentially, a commercial access service. If one allows 'commercial' ISP to cover independent operations that happened not to have a profit-oriented motive, I suspect the first service to quality would be The Little Garden, operated as a direct consortium, rather than having third-party operations, as CSNet did. d/ -- Dave Crocker Brandenburg InternetWorking bbiw.net