Timeline: The History Of Social Media

Mar 31, 1951

The first commercial computer, UNIVAC I, is introduced.

Oct 4, 1957

USSR launches Sputnik into space and, with it, global communications.

Jan 1, 1958

Bell Labs Invents Modem

Feb 1, 1958

U.S. Government Creates ARPA

The United States government creates the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) in response to Sputnik launch.

Feb 1, 1961

Leonard Kleinrock Pioneers Packet-Switching

Packet switching is a digital networking communications method that groups all transmitted data into suitably sized blocks, called packets, which are transmitted via a medium that may be shared by multiple simultaneous communication sessions. Packet switching increases network efficiency, robustness and enables technological convergence of many applications operating on the same network.

Jan 1, 1962

J.C.R. Licklider Conceives Intergalactic Network

J.C.R. Licklider writes memos about his Intergalactic Network concept of networked computers and becomes the first head of the computer research program at ARPA.

Jan 1, 1964

Paul Baran, Donald Davies Develop Message Blocks/Packet-switching.

The Rand Corporation's Paul Baran develops message blocks in the U.S., while Donald Watts Davies, at the National Physical Laboratory in Britain, simultaneously creates a similar technology called packet-switching. The technology revolutionizes data communications.

Jan 1, 1965

ARPA Sponsors Networking Study

ARPA sponsors study on "cooperative network of time-sharing computers."

Jan 1, 1965

Lawrence Roberts & Thomas Marill Create First Wide-area Network

The system confirms that packet switching offers the most promising model for communication between computers.

Jan 1, 1966

ARPAnet Project Initiated

Directing ARPA’s computer research program, Robert Taylor initiates the ARPAnet project, the foundation for today’s Internet.

Jan 1, 1967

ARPAnet Design Begins

Wesley Clark suggests the network is managed by interconnected ‘Interface Message Processors’ in front of the major computers. Called IMPs, they evolve into today’s routers.

Jan 1, 1968

Bolt Beranek and Newman Wins IMP Development Contract

Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc. (BBN) is awarded the ARPA contract to build the Interface Message Processors.

Oct 29, 1969

UCLA Team Sends First Data Packets

The first data packets are sent between networked computers on October 29th by Charley Kline at UCLA, under supervision of Professor Leonard Kleinrock. The first attempt resulted in the system crashing as the letter G of “Login” was entered. The second attempt was successful.

Jan 1, 1970

Key Internet Protocols Implemented

Dr. David Clark implements Internet protocols for the Multics systems, the Xerox PARC ALTO and the IBM PC

Dec 31, 1970

Kenbak-1

Jan 1, 1972

Ray Tomlinson Invents Email

Ray Tomlinson of BBN invents the email program to send messages across a distributed network. The "@" sign is chosen from the punctuation keys on Tomlinson's Model 33 Teletype to separate local from global emails, making "user@host" the email standard.

Jan 28, 1973