[ih] internet-history Digest, Vol 38, Issue 1
Elizabeth Feinler
feinler at earthlink.net
Sat Dec 26 10:05:34 PST 2009
This is my recollection. The early sites sometimes had a number of
computers at their site, usually only one of which was attached to the
Internet. It was the "host" in the sense of being the machine that
welcomed outside network users to that site, and if there were several
computers at a given site, took the user to the ones that were
available for them to access via the internet. It was also true that
many sites really didn't want outsiders to be able to access their
computers as the norm then was to submit a "job" to a computer-saavy
intermediary who then dealt with the computer . The idea of just any
random user accessing one's computer put fear in the hearts of
administrators at the time. Some considered these outside users a
real nuisance that disrupted the normal scheme of things at the time.
If I had to guess I would say that the term "host computer" probably
began somewhere at BBN because it was around very early in the game,
but that is a guess, so treat it as such until verified. RFC 1 was
already referring to hosts.
Happy New Year All!
Jake
On Dec 23, 2009, at 12:00 PM, internet-history-request at postel.org wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Fwd: nomenclature (Dave CROCKER)
> 2. Re: Fwd: nomenclature (Bernie Cosell)
> 3. Re: Fwd: nomenclature (Vint Cerf)
> 4. Re: Fwd: nomenclature (Vint Cerf)
> 5. Re: Fwd: nomenclature (Noel Chiappa)
> 6. Re: Fwd: nomenclature (Vint Cerf)
> 7. Re: Fwd: nomenclature (Dave CROCKER)
> 8. Re: Fwd: nomenclature (Larry Sheldon)
> 9. Re: Fwd: nomenclature (Richard Bennett)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:47:18 -0800
> From: Dave CROCKER <dhc2 at dcrocker.net>
> Subject: [ih] Fwd: nomenclature
> To: "internet-history at postel.org" <internet-history at postel.org>
> Message-ID: <4B3257A6.3030005 at dcrocker.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Folks,
>
> Howdy.
>
> This popped up on a list I track.
>
> I remember that the term 'host' was one of the bits of mind-share
> that the
> Arpanet created.. But I don't recall hearing why that particular
> term was chosen.
>
> Do any of you remember why?
>
> Bonus points for any additional background on the who and how.
>
> Thanks.
>
> d/
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: nomenclature
> Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:48:57 -0500
>
> So, someone asked me the other day why computers were called
> 'hosts'. I
> gave some silly, half-mumbled answer about how they "host" software
> applications, but I've been reading this interesting, if somewhat dry,
> book (The Horse, the Wheel, and Language) about the development of the
> European and South Asian languages from Proto-Indo European, which
> has a
> "*ghosti" precursor word (which means roughly "the guest/host
> hospitality obligation relationship") and it got me wondering again.
>
> Anyone have a better answer for me? Why are computers called "hosts"?
>
> --
>
> Dave Crocker
> Brandenburg InternetWorking
> bbiw.net
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:30:47 -0500
> From: "Bernie Cosell" <bernie at fantasyfarm.com>
> Subject: Re: [ih] Fwd: nomenclature
> To: "internet-history at postel.org" <internet-history at postel.org>
> Message-ID: <4B321B87.8593.27730E27 at bernie.fantasyfarm.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
>
> On 23 Dec 2009 at 9:47, Dave CROCKER wrote:
>
>> I remember that the term 'host' was one of the bits of mind-share
>> that the
>> Arpanet created.. But I don't recall hearing why that particular
>> term was chosen.
>>
>> Do any of you remember why?
>
> I can only say that it is going to be VERY early on: from the first
> I saw
> of the project Severo's group was working on the "Host-Imp"
> interface and
> we had "host" machinery in the software. I'd bet it already had that
> terminology at the meeting in '68 that spawned the RFQ.
>
> /bernie\
>
> --
> Bernie Cosell Fantasy Farm Fibers
> mailto:bernie at fantasyfarm.com Pearisburg, VA
> --> Too many people, too few sheep <--
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:33:06 -0500
> From: Vint Cerf <vint at google.com>
> Subject: Re: [ih] Fwd: nomenclature
> To: dcrocker at bbiw.net
> Cc: "internet-history at postel.org" <internet-history at postel.org>
> Message-ID: <D5A9F480-4C02-45D6-9DE7-4E21410F8871 at google.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
>
> steve may have the best explanation; as I recall, it was sort of a
> combination
> of the notion of a host (at an event - providing for the attendees/
> users)
> and "host" in the sense of biological host to a parasite (!).
>
> vint
>
>
> On Dec 23, 2009, at 12:47 PM, Dave CROCKER wrote:
>
>> Folks,
>>
>> Howdy.
>>
>> This popped up on a list I track.
>>
>> I remember that the term 'host' was one of the bits of mind-share
>> that the Arpanet created.. But I don't recall hearing why that
>> particular term was chosen.
>>
>> Do any of you remember why?
>>
>> Bonus points for any additional background on the who and how.
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> d/
>>
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject: nomenclature
>> Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:48:57 -0500
>>
>> So, someone asked me the other day why computers were called
>> 'hosts'. I
>> gave some silly, half-mumbled answer about how they "host" software
>> applications, but I've been reading this interesting, if somewhat
>> dry,
>> book (The Horse, the Wheel, and Language) about the development of
>> the
>> European and South Asian languages from Proto-Indo European, which
>> has a
>> "*ghosti" precursor word (which means roughly "the guest/host
>> hospitality obligation relationship") and it got me wondering again.
>>
>> Anyone have a better answer for me? Why are computers called "hosts"?
>>
>> --
>>
>> Dave Crocker
>> Brandenburg InternetWorking
>> bbiw.net
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:52:39 -0500
> From: Vint Cerf <vint at google.com>
> Subject: Re: [ih] Fwd: nomenclature
> To: Dave CROCKER <dcrocker at bbiw.net>
> Cc: "internet-history at postel.org" <internet-history at postel.org>
> Message-ID: <C736A565-450C-4550-A747-308AD1DADAA6 at google.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
>
> well that's not too clear - coulda been Jon. We'd have to look at the
> RFCs and see when the term first shows up for a clue perhaps?
>
> v
>
> On Dec 23, 2009, at 1:39 PM, Dave CROCKER wrote:
>
>> d/.
>>
>> On 12/23/2009 10:33 AM, Vint Cerf wrote:
>>> steve may have the best explanation; as I recall, it was sort of a
>>> combination
>>> of the notion of a host (at an event - providing for the attendees/
>>> users)
>>> and "host" in the sense of biological host to a parasite (!).
>>
>>
>> Vint,
>>
>> Well, I asked my brother before asking the list. He doesn't
>> remember the origin.
>>
>> Your explanation of the logic makes complete sense, but do you
>> remember who first started using it?
>>
>> d/
>> --
>>
>> Dave Crocker
>> Brandenburg InternetWorking
>> bbiw.net
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:53:08 -0500 (EST)
> From: jnc at mercury.lcs.mit.edu (Noel Chiappa)
> Subject: Re: [ih] Fwd: nomenclature
> To: internet-history at postel.org
> Cc: jnc at mercury.lcs.mit.edu
> Message-ID: <20091223185308.249826BE625 at mercury.lcs.mit.edu>
>
>> From: "Bernie Cosell" <bernie at fantasyfarm.com>
>
>> I'd bet it already had that terminology at the meeting in '68 that
>> spawned the RFQ.
>
> I just checked the RFQ (dated 29 July 1968) and sure enough, it talks
> of the "Host-Imp Interface", etc, etc.
>
> Noel
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:55:02 -0500
> From: Vint Cerf <vint at google.com>
> Subject: Re: [ih] Fwd: nomenclature
> To: "Bernie Cosell" <bernie at fantasyfarm.com>
> Cc: "internet-history at postel.org" <internet-history at postel.org>
> Message-ID: <9FF9D3DE-F78F-4AA5-AAE1-EBC383F37039 at google.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
>
> that's a very good point. BBN was using the term host before we
> were very deep into the host-host protocols.
>
>
> On Dec 23, 2009, at 1:30 PM, Bernie Cosell wrote:
>
>> On 23 Dec 2009 at 9:47, Dave CROCKER wrote:
>>
>>> I remember that the term 'host' was one of the bits of mind-share
>>> that the
>>> Arpanet created.. But I don't recall hearing why that particular
>>> term was chosen.
>>>
>>> Do any of you remember why?
>>
>> I can only say that it is going to be VERY early on: from the first
>> I saw
>> of the project Severo's group was working on the "Host-Imp"
>> interface and
>> we had "host" machinery in the software. I'd bet it already had
>> that
>> terminology at the meeting in '68 that spawned the RFQ.
>>
>> /bernie\
>>
>> --
>> Bernie Cosell Fantasy Farm Fibers
>> mailto:bernie at fantasyfarm.com Pearisburg, VA
>> --> Too many people, too few sheep <--
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:14:38 -0800
> From: Dave CROCKER <dhc2 at dcrocker.net>
> Subject: Re: [ih] Fwd: nomenclature
> To: Noel Chiappa <jnc at mercury.lcs.mit.edu>
> Cc: internet-history at postel.org
> Message-ID: <4B326C1E.5000006 at dcrocker.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
>
>
> On 12/23/2009 10:53 AM, Noel Chiappa wrote:
>> I just checked the RFQ (dated 29 July 1968) and sure enough, it talks
>> of the "Host-Imp Interface", etc, etc.
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> This seems to move the source of the term to the Arpa office. Or is
> it more
> likely that it was a researcher -- or group of -- whispering in
> their ear?
>
> d/
> --
>
> Dave Crocker
> Brandenburg InternetWorking
> bbiw.net
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 8
> Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:23:29 -0600
> From: Larry Sheldon <LarrySheldon at cox.net>
> Subject: Re: [ih] Fwd: nomenclature
> Cc: "internet-history at postel.org" <internet-history at postel.org>
> Message-ID: <4B326E31.5060803 at cox.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> On 12/23/2009 11:47 AM, Dave CROCKER wrote:
>
>> I remember that the term 'host' was one of the bits of mind-share
>> that
>> the Arpanet created.. But I don't recall hearing why that particular
>> term was chosen.
>>
>> Do any of you remember why?
>
> I'd have to dig out some old USE documentation (or maybe some UNIVAC
> or
> Sperry docs if I can find them) but I think we used the term "host"
> before we had "networks" as the term is now used.
>
> In the IBM world, what was on the other end of a telephone line from
> an
> RJE station?
>
> It seems to me that one end of a word channel cable was the
> "controller", the other the "host".
> --
> Remember: The Ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic by
> professionals.
>
> Requiescas in pace o email
> Ex turpi causa non oritur actio
> Eppure si rinfresca
>
> ICBM Targeting Information: http://tinyurl.com/4sqczs
> http://tinyurl.com/7tp8ml
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 9
> Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:39:59 -0800
> From: Richard Bennett <richard at bennett.com>
> Subject: Re: [ih] Fwd: nomenclature
> To: internet-history at postel.org
> Message-ID: <4B32720F.1070703 at bennett.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> The term "host" was used for big* time-shared mainframes long before
> the
> whole networking thing took off.
>
> RB
>
> *by the standards of the day.
>
> On 12/23/2009 11:23 AM, Larry Sheldon wrote:
>> On 12/23/2009 11:47 AM, Dave CROCKER wrote:
>>
>>> I remember that the term 'host' was one of the bits of mind-share
>>> that
>>> the Arpanet created.. But I don't recall hearing why that particular
>>> term was chosen.
>>>
>>> Do any of you remember why?
>>
>> I'd have to dig out some old USE documentation (or maybe some UNIVAC
>> or Sperry docs if I can find them) but I think we used the term
>> "host"
>> before we had "networks" as the term is now used.
>>
>> In the IBM world, what was on the other end of a telephone line from
>> an RJE station?
>>
>> It seems to me that one end of a word channel cable was the
>> "controller", the other the "host".
>
> --
> Richard Bennett
> Research Fellow
> Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
> Washington, DC
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> internet-history mailing list
> internet-history at postel.org
> http://mailman.postel.org/mailman/listinfo/internet-history
>
>
> End of internet-history Digest, Vol 38, Issue 1
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