[ih] Launch of The Internet Ecosystem Book

Mon Feb 9 12:48:29 PST 2026

I expected AI to be the death of science, but not from this.

The next question is, is it as bad in other fields: biology, chemistry, physics, etc. I assume it is.

IOW, unless we personally know the author, we can’t trust any publication.

> On Feb 9, 2026, at 15:25, Ulrich Speidel via Internet-history <internet-history at elists.isoc.org> wrote:
> 
> On 10/02/2026 8:42 am, Brian E Carpenter via Internet-history wrote:
>> On 09-Feb-26 22:12, Carsten Schiefner via Internet-history wrote:
>>> Am 09.02.2026 um 09:53 schrieb Eberhard W Lisse via Internet-history <internet-history at elists.isoc.org>:
>>>> 
>>>> AI Slop Spam
>>> 
>>> You can’t say that for sure, Eberhard - as the recommendation below comes from Professor Peter Anderson, Head of Research at - and in the absence of any other information, I can only take his email domain as a basis for it - Gmail.
>> 
>> Actually, Gmail's stable mate (Google AI) suggested a couple of actual Professor Peter Andersons (or possibly two incarnations of the same one), but neither seemed very likely to be boosting this particular "book".
>> 
>> Anyway, thanks to Ole's anonymous reviewer, the rest of us don't need to waste $30. Shame, really, since I was hoping that the book might reveal whether the answer really is 42.
>> 
>> This whole episode is a warning. We need an AI slop detector curating the mailing list.
> 
> This doesn't surprise me in the slightest. AI slop is now everywhere. In the last 12 months alone, I have dealt with a bad AI-written PhD provisional year report, an AI-written MSc thesis, an AI-written Honours dissertation, an AI-written PhD examiner's report (from a guy who clocks up > 100 pubs a year), three AI-written submissions to an IEEE journal I was asked to review (I stopped accepting review requests after #3), and a postgraduate assignment where over 80% of the class decided to ignore the request in red bold that AI was not to be used. The net result of the latter were gems like LaTeX source notation for subscripts right next to the real thing in what the PDF said were "Word" files. And by and large abysmal exam performance.
> 
> You also get this in no small numbers in papers from "top" universities to "top" conferences now:
> 
> https://gptzero.me/news/neurips/
> 
> One of our students is currently looking at the incidence of hallucinated references in published papers. The other day he came to see me saying he'd found a single author paper from a very well known university in Southeast Asia where every single reference was fake. And he's found lots elsewhere also.
> 
>> 
>>    Brian
>> 
>>> 
>>> ;->
>>> 
>>>>> On Feb 9, 2026 at 09:53 +0200, Gergely Buday via Internet-history <internet-history at elists.isoc.org>, wrote:
>>>>> Dear Vint Cerf,
>>>>> 
>>>>> did you really proofread this book?
>>>>> 
>>>>> Yours
>>>>> 
>>>>> - Gergely
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Mon, 9 Feb 2026 at 06:36, Peter Anderson via Internet-history
>>>>>> <internet-history at elists.isoc.org> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> *(Apologies for cross-posting)*
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> As a researcher, I have never come across a highly intensive and inclusive
>>>>>> book like "The Internet Ecosystem". The book englobes the whole Internet
>>>>>> Ecosystem with the correct information compared to misleading
>>>>>> information from blogs/wikipedia on the Internet. This book was reviewed by
>>>>>> Vint Cerf. I have just completed the reading, I will highly recommend it
>>>>>> and it is nice to have a copy to keep for reference.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Professor Peter Anderson
>>>>>> Head of Research
>>>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>>> *From:* Nikesh B. Simmandree <nikeshbs at outlook.com>
>>>>>> *Sent:* Monday, August 18, 2025 1:35 PM
>>>>>> *To:* alac-announce at icann.org <alac-announce at icann.org>; alac at icann.org <
>>>>>> alac at icann.org>; at-large at icann.org <at-large at icann.org>;
>>>>>> afri-discuss at icann.org <afri-discuss at icann.org>
>>>>>> *Subject:* Launch of The Internet Ecosystem Book
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Dear Community,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I am thrilled to announce the launch of my book, *The Internet Ecosystem* —
>>>>>> a comprehensive exploration of the history, architecture, governance, and
>>>>>> future of the Internet.
>>>>>> This book distills decades of technological evolution — from ARPANET and
>>>>>> packet switching, to AI, Web3, quantum networks, and beyond — into a clear,
>>>>>> engaging narrative accessible to both technical and non-technical readers
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> *What the Book Covers*
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> - *The Past:* How Cold War research, ARPANET, and packet switching gave
>>>>>> birth to the Internet we know today.
>>>>>> - *The Present:* The intricate roles of ISPs, backbone providers, cloud
>>>>>> infrastructure, AI, cybersecurity, and global governance shaping our daily
>>>>>> online experiences.
>>>>>> - *The Future:* Insights into 5G/6G, blockchain, immersive technologies,
>>>>>> quantum security, and the Internet in 2050.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> With *49 detailed chapters*, the book provides a definitive yet
>>>>>> approachable reference for students, professionals, policymakers, and
>>>>>> curious readers alike.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> My mission with *The Internet Ecosystem* is to make the Internet’s
>>>>>> complexity understandable — showing not only *how* the Internet works, but
>>>>>> also *why* it matters and has become one of the most transformative human
>>>>>> inventions — while sparking dialogue on how we build a secure, inclusive,
>>>>>> and sustainable digital future.
>>>>>> In the 21st century, understanding the Internet is not optional — it’s
>>>>>> essential. Whether you’re a business leader, policymaker, educator,
>>>>>> student, or everyday Internet user, this book provides the context and
>>>>>> clarity you need to navigate the opportunities and challenges of our
>>>>>> connected world.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> *Get Your Copy*
>>>>>> *The Internet Ecosystem* is now available: https://payhip.com/b/hfvYg
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Thank you,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Best Regards,
>>>>>> Nikesh B. Simmandree
>>>>>> +230-5-907-3413
>>>>>> nikeshbs at outlook.com
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> This message and its attachments are intended only for the person or entity
>>>>>> to which it is addressed and are strictly confidential. If you have
>>>>>> received this in error, please delete it from any devices after having
>>>>>> informed the sender.
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> 
> -- 
> ****************************************************************
> Dr. Ulrich Speidel
> 
> School of Computer Science
> 
> Room 303S.594 (City Campus)
> 
> The University of Auckland
> u.speidel at auckland.ac.nz
> http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~ulrich/
> ****************************************************************
> 
> 
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