[ih] Why did TCP win? [Re: Internet-history Digest, Vol 63, Issue 3

[Eberhard W Lisse]

I recall when I was in Medical School in Germany in 1981-1987 and became very interested in whatever form of networking offered at the Technical U Aachen (essentially BITNET/EARN) that I was reading about TCP/IP and OSI.

Not that I really cared, I just wanted to download Open Source stuff :-)-O, but I was always wondering why the Krauts were harping so much about OSI, when the other stuff worked (over the pond).

I vividly recall the guy at the Computer Center dealing with us non CS students (they were very accommodating with access and very helpful) talking about OSI being the next best thing since sliced bread.

After I moved to Namibia and started .NA and then TCP/IP (Linux !) I met him again when I went on leave home and he then said TCP/IP works, OSI doesn’t, and nobody cares, really, they want it, like, now.

Which is essentially what you guys have been writing ;-)-O

el


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Dr. Eberhard W. Lisse \ / Obstetrician & Gynaecologist (retired)
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On Feb 3, 2025 at 08:32 +0200, Vint Cerf via Internet-history <internet-history at elists.isoc.org>, wrote:

> I think the quote was something like "OSI is a wonderful dream and TCP/IP
> is living it"
>
> v
> […]