Father Of Internet Technology Essay Example For Students

Father Of Internet Technology Essay Evaluation of Craig Brockmans Assignment by Eric Becker (05/22 05:40 PM) Grade: ACraig H. BrockmanInstructor: Eric BeckerCollege Writing9 May 2000Dr. Leonard Kleinrock:Father of Internet TechnologyMost every work of human progress has carried within it the signature of one or more individuals who saw beyond the horizon, challenged convention and then, in ways large and small, forever changed our world. Some of these signatures, like Alexander Graham Bell, who invented the telephone and Thomas Edison, whose many patents include both the electric light bulb, the microphone and record player, are easily identifiable. But what about a work of human progress so complex and far-reaching that its very origins might seem untraceable? Indeed, what about the Internet? There are, of course, many individuals who have contributed to the rise and globalization of the Internet a network of networks, connecting all parts of the world electronically Yet one name stands out: Dr. Leonard Kleinrock, kn own to many as The Father of Internet Technology. It was his theory of packet-switching that led the United States government and a team of nearly 40 researchers to develop what would eventually be the worldwide communications system that is today so much a part of our lives.The Internet, what exactly is it, and where did it come from?Definitions of the Internet are varied and can be truly complicated for the common layman to understand. In its most simple form, the Internet is defined in the publication The Internet, as the Internet is the biggest computer system in the world. It is an enormous network of networks that spans the globe continuously evolving and redefining itself (Cooper 8). However, there is an official definition of the Internet by the United States government. The governing body of the Internet is called The Federal Networking Council (FNC). And on October 24, 1995 the FNC defined the Internet as a global information system that (i) is logically linked together by a globally unique address space based on the Internet Protocol (IP) or its subsequent extensions/follow-ons;(ii) is able to support communications using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite or its subsequent extensions/follow-ons, and/or other IP-compatible protocols; and(iii) provides, uses or makes accessible, either publicly or privately, high level services layered on the communications and related infrastructure described herein. (FNC) The start of the InternetDevelopment of the Advanced Research Projects Agency network (ARPAnet) started in the 1950s during the Eisenhower administration. ARPAnet was the answer to the Soviet Unions launching of Sputnik. The United States military needed a way to communicate around the military network safely and securely. They (Department of Defense) came up with a system which sent information broken down into packets of data (Cooper 12). Since the ARPAnet was a network, the question of networking would surely arise. As pointed out in a compilation edited by Brian Cooper, network is defined as a pair of computers linked together by cable so that they can share information, hardware (such as printers), and programs (12). Who is Dr. Kleinrock?Leonard Kleinrock had a very humble beginning. Born June 13, 1934 in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City. At the age of six, Leonard Kleinrock was reading a Superman comic book at his familys apartment in Manhattan, when, in the centerfold, he found plans for building a crystal radio. To do so, he needed his fathers used razor blade, a piece of pencil lead, an empty toilet paper roll, and some wire. He needed an earphone, which he promptly appropriated from a public telephone booth. The one remaining part required was something called a variable capacitor. For this, young Leonard convinced his mother to take him on the subway down to Canal Street, the center for radio electronics. In one of the stores, he asked the clerk for a variable capacitor. After some debate about the size, which forced the six-year old to confess his inexperience, the clerk sold him just what he needed. When free music came through the earphones-without batteries, without power-an engineer was born (Segaller 32). Imagine two students, one depressed and one not, w EssayTodays InternetIn the early 1980s the American military split away from ARPAnet, leaving what became known as the Internet (Cooper 12). ARPAnet was the actual beginning of the World Wide Web and the Internet. Due to its now capitalist commercial scheme of the Internet, it is ironic that the development and unforeseen improvement of the world-wide economy came as a response from the United States government to the Soviet Unions because of the launching of a rocket that carried a dog into space. The Internet has become a common place in our society. It is as common as the telephone or the automobile. The simple ease of communicating with strangers across the world in a matter of seconds, that once took weeks by regular mail. Even shopping on the Internet from the comfort of our own homes is an everyday occurrence. These are things that we shouldnt take for granted, and these are things that we can now thank the inventors, personally through another invention of theirs, Electronic Mail (e-mail). Dr. Kleinrock: The Father of Internet TechnologySimply put, without the most important contribution of packet switching by Dr. Kleinrock, the Internet would more than likely not exist today. Over the years there has been great advances in computer technology. This has been mostly accomplished by the partnership of other engineers throughout the world communicating with one another through the use of Internet. This type of communication would not have come without the ingenious theory of Dr. Kleinrocks theory. So one must ask oneself, If not for the immediate communication that the Internet gives us, would we (the world) be this technically advanced without the Internet? In literature that there is on the Internet, there is always a mention of Dr. Kleinrock. Our children and our childrens children will know of nothing less than the luxury of having the Internet available to them at anytime of day or night. The simple ease of communicating with strangers across the world in a matter of seconds, that once took weeks by regular mail. These are things that we shouldnt take for granted, and these are things that we can now thank the inventors, personally. I was able to contact Dr. Kleinrock. I wanted to inform him that I was doing a research thesis on his invention, using the same invention to relay this information. I would say this would be the equivalent of calling Mr. Bell on the phone, or even driving my car to Mr. Ford, and thanking them for their wonderful gifts to mankind. Dr. Kleinrock is one of many men that put in place this fabulous tool. One thing we must remember, as with all other tools of man, we should not abuse it or take it for granted. It was an honor for me to do this thesis and actually communicate with the Father of the Internet Technology. BibliographyWorks CitedCooper, Brian, ed. The Internet. New York. 1996: 8-12. Kleinrock, Leonard. Inventor of the Internet Technology. http://www.lk.cs.ucla.edu. Segaller, Stephen. Nerds 2.0.1 A Brief History of the Internet. New York: TV Books, 1998: 32-69. United States. Federal Networking Council. FNC Resolution: Definition of Internet. October 24, 1995. Last accessed April 20, 2000. . University of California, Los Angeles. The Birth of the Internet. August 27, 1996. Last accessed April 27, 2000. Thesis and Dissertations