A Brief History of the Internet

In the last three decades, the internet has grown from small and relatively obscure beginnings to something unimaginably large and pervasive. While it seems to have appeared out of nowhere, it has quickly become something that most of us can’t imagine living without.

But how and when did it get started? And what has fueled its super fast growth?

Did Al Gore Invent It?

There are many myths surrounding the creation of the internet.

Some people believe that it was the brainchild of Al Gore. After all, during an interview with Wolf Blitzer, Al Gore was quoted as saying: During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet. However, development of the internet started at least five years before Al Gore was in Congress. So he might have had a part in the development of the internet, but he didn’t create it.

Others believe that it was hatched out of the nation’s top universities. However, this isn’t completely the truth either. In actuality, the main impetus for the development of the internet was the government. It was pioneered to serve as a way for the defense department to easily disseminate information.

Military Network

In the 1960′s, the idea of a network that could allow computers to connect and share information seemed like a very valuable military tool. And over the course of the decade, it was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in collaboration with some great minds at top universities such as MIT, Stanford, and UCLA.

In 1969, the internet — or ARPANET, as it was then called — debuted in 1969. And over the course of the following two decades, internet technology greatly improved, as well as the uses for the internet. What was once used primarily by the government, was now used by libraries and academic institutions. And with the creation of email in 1972, it also became popular as a tool for communication.

But it was still not yet mainstream. This was due primarily to the unfriendly nature of the internet interface, the price of computers, and the lack of residential connections to the internet. In the early 1990′s, however, all barriers to using the internet were removed.

Widespread Use

Starting in the 90s, companies such as AOL, CompuServ, and Prodigy, started providing services to enable residential users to connect to the internet. Additionally, both Netscape and Microsoft launched user-friendly internet browsers. And finally, the cost of computers dramatically decreased.

As the number of people using the internet increased, more and more companies realized the value of having a web presence. And this has fueled the growth of the internet ever since.

Today, the internet is something that pervades all aspects of life. Instead of being the novelty item it once was, it is now a necessity for individuals, businesses, and entire industries. It will be interesting to see where the internet will take us in the future.