[ih] ARPAnet and nuclear survivability

[bernie at fantasyfarm.com (Bernie Cosell)]

On another list the old question came up again and I'm not sure I've ever 
gotten a straight answer.  I have always thought that Licklider's intent 
was to build a collaboration/research network.   The early participants 
were pretty much all universities and I can't recall any military people 
involved in the design or development of it.  [OTOH the IMP *was* 
originally delivered in a fully mil-spec ruggedized case...]

Others have repeated the claim that the justification for the ARPAnet was 
to provide communications that could survive a nuclear attack and of 
course, there was Baran's paper [although he wasn't the only person 
developing ideas about packet switching]

BUT as far as i can remember there were *NO* military folks involved with 
anything to do with the early ARPAnet: I don't recall any military info 
in the reports [at least not the ones that we [BBN] prepared], nor did I 
remember any "requirements" that came from or were reviewed by military 
folk.  Does anyone know that bit of the tale?  [e.g., I have no idea how 
the ARPAnet was presented to Congress]

  /Bernie\

-- 
Bernie Cosell                     Fantasy Farm Fibers
mailto:bernie at fantasyfarm.com     Pearisburg, VA
    -->  Too many people, too few sheep  <--