Before 1983, the ARPANET wasn’t an internet, let alone The Internet. Each ARPANET connection required a host-specific interface (the “IMP”) and simplex Network Control Protocol (NCP). NCP used users' email addresses, and routing had to be specified in advance within each NCP message.

Even so, the Internet as a platform open to anyone didn’t start until 1992. I know you joined late, in 1999, so you probably missed out on this history. :)

-mel

On Oct 20, 2021, at 8:43 AM, Mark Tinka <mark@tinka.africa> wrote:

On 10/20/21 17:26, Mel Beckman wrote:

Mark,

As long as we’re being pedantic, January 1, 1983 is considered the official birthday of the Internet, when TCP/IP first let different kinds of computers on different networks talk to each other.

It’s 2021, hence the Internet is less than, not more than, 40 years old. Given your mathematical skills, I put no stock in your claim that we still can’t “buy an NMS that just works.” :)

Hehehe :-)...

I guess we can reliably say that the ARPANET wasn't keen on pretty pictures, then, hehe :-)...

Mark.