The Evolution of Internet and Early Computing

The Beginnings of Information Sharing

When government researchers were looking for an effective way to share information in the 1960s, the Internet was born. Because computers were large and immobile in those days, it was difficult to get data from a particular system. In order to access data, people had to either visit the computer’s location or get data on magnetic tapes that were mailed in the regular mail.

The Role of the Cold War in Internet Development

The Cold War also played a significant role in the creation of the Internet. The U.S. Defense Department began looking into ways to keep information flowing even in the case of a nuclear attack after the Soviet Union launched its Sputnik satellite in 1957. As a result, the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network, or ARPANET, was established, eventually developing into the modern Internet. Despite its great success, only a few academic and research institutions with contracts from the Defense Department had access to ARPANET. As a result, more networks arose to increase the capacity for information exchange.

The Official Birth of the Internet

The official date of the Internet’s birth is January 1, 1983. Prior to this significant event, computer networks functioned autonomously and lacked a common communication protocol. This was altered with the advent of the Transfer Control Protocol/Internetwork Protocol (TCP/IP), which allowed for smooth communication across disparate computer systems on different networks. The current Internet was born on that day when the Defense Data Network and ARPANET adopted TCP/IP, essentially bringing networks together under a single protocol.

The UNIVAC I: A Pioneer in Commercial Computing

The UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer), delivered to the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951, was among the earliest commercial computers. Weighing approximately 16,000 pounds and utilizing 5,000 vacuum tubes, it could perform around 1,000 calculations per second. Unlike scientific IAS-type machines, business computers like the UNIVAC prioritized fast input and output over processing speed. Initially, government agencies, the A.C. Nielsen Company, and Prudential Insurance were among its first users. In 1954, General Electric’s Appliance Division became the first to install a UNIVAC for business operations, specifically payroll processing. By 1957, Remington-Rand (which had acquired Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation in 1950) had sold 46 UNIVAC machines, solidifying its place in computing history.