ARPANET and Xerox PARC:
Peter Kerstone, a pioneer in the early days of the Internet, was the first person to put a computer on the ARPANET outside of the U.S. in 1973. Xerox PARC, where Alan Kay worked, was a hub of innovation in computing, leading to breakthroughs like the Ethernet, laser printing, graphical user interface, and object-oriented programming. There was significant overlap between the ARPA community and Xerox PARC, with many ARPA-sponsored graduate students finding jobs at Xerox PARC.

Alan Kay’s Perspective:
Alan Kay emphasized the importance of history and the contributions of many individuals and teams in the development of computing and the Internet. He highlighted the role of Henry Tizard in developing radar technology and the cavity magnetron, which played a crucial role in winning World War II. Kay also discussed Vannevar Bush’s Memex concept, an early vision of a personal computing device with scanners, pointing devices, and hyperlinks. Kay acknowledged the contributions of British computing pioneers like Turing, Babbage, and Ada, and lamented the loss of British dominance in computing due to IBM’s influence. He mentioned Don Davies and the National Physical Laboratory Network as significant contributors to networking, alongside Peter Kerstone’s role in early Internet development.

Xerox PARC and ARPA Culture:
Alan Kay highlighted the importance of the culture at Xerox PARC and the ARPA community, which fostered creativity and innovation. He emphasized the role of teams in driving breakthroughs, rather than individuals working in isolation. Kay noted that superheroes are celebrated in research communities, but the reality is that most achievements are the result of collaborative efforts.

Background:
Jim’s ARPA was essentially open-ended government research in the public domain, largely funded by ARPA. Xerox PARC was integral to this community, with many of its PhDs funded by ARPA.

Early Vision and Developments:
J.C.R. Licklider envisioned computers as interactive intellectual amplifiers for everyone, universally networked worldwide. He obtained government funding and initiated various developments, including a computing utility and the idea of an intergalactic network.

Network Evolution:
Air defense systems in the 1950s inspired Licklider’s vision of interactive computing. Len Kleinrock demonstrated packet-like messages without congestion, leading to the development of packets by Paul Barron and Don Davies. This resulted in two networks, the ARPANET and NPLNET, and later, the ALOANET to connect the University of Hawaii. The Ethernet was developed by Xerox PARC based on the concept of broadcasting radio inside a cable. The first internetworking connection was established in 1973.

Early Internetworking Demonstrations:
In 1976, the SRI bread truck was used to demonstrate voice over IP, connecting to the ARPANET and SRI via packet radio networks. In 1977, the bread truck was again involved in connecting several networks together via satellite, including Peter’s work.

Funding and Relevance:
ARPA was created in response to the Sputnik crisis, driven by the fear of Soviet technological advancements. ARPA directors during the 1960s were scientists who emphasized the broader societal and cultural benefits of their work, rather than focusing on immediate relevance to the Department of Defense. Bob Taylor secured funding for the network from Charlie Hertzfeld with a simple conversation, highlighting the lack of bureaucratic hurdles in those days.

Xerox PARC and Legacy:
When the Vietnam War impacted ARPA funding, Taylor found support at Xerox, leading to the establishment of Xerox PARC. Xerox PARC played a crucial role in developing the technologies that shaped modern computing, including the internet and personal computing.

Challenges in Understanding the Past:
The meanings of words have changed over time, making it challenging to accurately interpret historical documents and events.

Innovative Thinking:
Inventing something new doesn’t mean refining what exists. It can involve redefining or reinventing concepts.

Engelbart’s Contributions:
Engelbart’s achievements extended beyond the mouse; he focused on invisible aspects like hypertext, shared screens, and collaboration.

Comparing Past and Present:
The modern era tends to evaluate past innovations based on current standards, leading to misconceptions about their significance.

Reinvention vs. Innovation:
People often reinvent flawed aspects of technology instead of seeking genuine improvements.

Wheels and Flat Tires:
The analogy of a flat tire illustrates how people can mistake a flawed concept for an acceptable standard.

Normalcy and Limitations:
Today’s norms may be diminished versions of better ideas from the past, limiting our understanding and potential.

Orwell’s Typewriter:
Obsessing over Orwell’s typewriter distracts us from exploring the deeper ideas he was trying to convey.

Interactive Terminals in the 1950s:
There were numerous interactive terminals with pointing devices networked together in the mid-’50s, which later influenced the development of air traffic control systems.

Visionaries’ Goals:
Key figures in computing history had ambitious goals that went beyond technological advancements.

Bush: Wanted a super version of Wikipedia.

ARPA: Aimed to keep track of everything.

Licklider: Envisioned humans and computers thinking together in unprecedented ways.

McCarthy: Saw every home having a computer as an information utility.

Ivan: Pioneered computer graphics, which is widely used today.

Engelbart: Focused on addressing complex global problems like climate change, education, energy, and water.

Licklider’s Intergalactic Computer Network:
Licklider’s vision for a network that connects computers across vast distances inspired the name “Intergalactic.”

Communicating with Aliens and Shared Context:
To create a worldwide network, one must also consider the need to communicate with aliens or vastly different entities. The main problem in scaled-up networks is the alienness of most points in the network. To communicate effectively, shared context is essential.

Media and the Computer:
The computer can be used as a powerful tool for communication through media. However, the biggest sin is to imitate physical media on the computer. The computer allows for new forms of media and communication that go beyond traditional formats.

Collaboration and Tools:
Engelbart’s group emphasized deep sharing and collaboration in their system. Tools can train us while we use them, shaping our thoughts and perceptions. Inward tools can help with internal growth and learning.

Augmentation and Education:
Augmentation, as envisioned by Engelbart, includes education and involves the whole human being, not just adding a tool. The system created by augmentation is a thinking unit that can be applied to group collaboration. This concept of augmentation is often misunderstood or overlooked in discussions about Engelbart’s work.

Funders Should Fund Visions, Not Goals:
Funders should focus on supporting long-term visions rather than specific goals. This approach allows researchers to explore different ways of realizing the vision.

Fund the Best People, Not Projects:
Only fund the top researchers because they are qualitatively different from the rest. The success of a research project depends on the quality of the researchers involved.

Create the Next Generation of Researchers:
Invest in the development of the next generation of researchers. This ensures a continuous supply of talented researchers.

Unusual People are Rare but Findable:
Unusual people with exceptional talent are rare but can be found. The challenge is finding funders who understand and support this approach.

Management of Top Researchers:
Traditional management approaches do not work for top researchers. Top researchers are independent and creative individuals who need freedom to pursue their own interests.

A Great Vision is Nonspecific and Romantic:
A great vision should be nonspecific enough to allow for different interpretations. It should be romantic and inspiring to attract talented researchers.

Goodness of Results Correlates with Goodness of Funders:
The quality of the research results strongly depends on the quality of the funders. Good funders understand and support the needs of top researchers.