[ih] Origination date for the Internet

[Randy Bush]

> Did the CIX pioneers not realize, at the outset, that using a router
> as an interconnect would make things odd in an (ahem) dynamically
> evolving business environment?

there was what was characterized by some as a religious discussion.
some just thought it was router envy.  other that everything looked like
a nail.  but this was pretty early, so give 'em a break.

but the cix was as much a political/business act than a long term
scalable exchange point.  as louie says, mae east was for real (except
for those damned datakits!).

the jokes were the nsf-sponsored 'naps', like the ans monopoly none of
which survived.  of the nsf dump and run, little was actually viable,
sprintlink being the notable exception, thanks steve goldstein, dima
volodin, ...

> My impression is that all subsequent interconnects have been layer-2
> switches and such.

no, just all the sane ones.  folk like greene, woodcock, ... were still
pushing layer three connects into the 21st century.  folk still push it
today, but in the poorer countries.  they test drugs there too.

</rant>  i knew i did not want to enter this discussion.

randy