[ih] Nit-picking an origin story

[Bob Purvy]

"It is worth making a distinction between vision, components, and
systems. "

Amen to that. I'm sick of hearing about how someone "invented" radio or
telephones or powered flight or whatever, when they never built anything
that worked.

Even our pathetic patent system requires "reduction to practice" (although
"constructive reduction to practice" has loopholes big enough to drive a
double-wide motorhome through).

On Sat, Aug 16, 2025 at 1:58 PM Dave Crocker via Internet-history <
internet-history at elists.isoc.org> wrote:

> On 8/16/2025 12:29 PM, Jack Haverty via Internet-history wrote:
> > I still think computer networking started with Licklider and his early
> > 1960s vision of a "galactic network"
>
>
> Ok.  And...
>
> It is worth making a distinction between vision, components, and
> systems.  Vision is easy, but successful visions are not. Successful
> vision needs enough texture, direction, pragmatics and timeliness to
> drive a cohesive effort.  But it's quite a long way from making
> something working and useful.
>
> Same for the differences between functionality, performance and scaling.
>
> The IETF's former standards status of 'draft' really only required
> demonstrating functionality.  Full standard has always simplified the
> criterion down to 'getting used on the Internet', which at least
> (sufficient) functionality and (sufficient) performance, and
> (sufficient) scaling, without really setting objective metrics for these.
>
> All of these are essential to get to a place like the Internet has
> gotten, but each is quite different from the other.
>
> Hence, separate milestones are worth noting.
>
>
> d/
>
> --
> Dave Crocker
>
> Brandenburg InternetWorking
> bbiw.net
> bluesky: @dcrocker.bsky.social
> mast: @dcrocker at mastodon.social
>
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