2024-10-24 07:31:52 +01:00
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---
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tags: [ARPA, ARPANET, networks, computer-history]
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created: Friday, October 18, 2024
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---
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2024-10-24 17:28:58 +01:00
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# f0f70a3c_ARPANET_motivations
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2024-10-24 07:31:52 +01:00
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It is inaccurate to say that the chief motivation in creating the ARPANET was to
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create a network that could withstand nuclear conflict, where mulitple nodes
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could be hit and the network could still go on functioning.
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Ideas that originated from this concern _did_ influence the project (chiefly
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2024-10-24 17:28:58 +01:00
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[Paul Baran's work on distributed networks](385af4b4_baran_distributed_networks.md)
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2024-10-24 07:31:52 +01:00
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at RAND), but this was not the concern of the ARPANET.
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ARPA's objectives were focused more on reducing efficiency in the academic and
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military projects it sponsored.
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Different models of computer were used throughout the
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military-industrial-academic complex. Users required different logins and a
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knowledge of different operating systems and programming languages in order to
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be able to use them.
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At the same time, there was a duplication of hardware. Different projects would
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all require their own computer to do their research. It would be better if the
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same computer could be accessed by multiple teams through time-sharing (already
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in existene) and a network.
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Finally, results from different research projects were being duplicated.
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Different teams would be producing the same data independently of one another
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because the data could not be readily shared. If this redundancy could be
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removed, and the data accessed and shared between multiple projects, teams could
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focus on new research and the production of novel applications.
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