Did Xerox really develop the first LAN? [on hold]
Did the computer scientist at Xerox really develop the first LAN, but had no backing from the company to further develop these technologies, later showing this to both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates?
Just for reference, it is in reference to this story.
history
asked Apr 15 at 16:13
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
1817
New contributor
Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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put on hold as too broad by Raffzahn, Tomas By, Wilson, user180940, Ken Gober Apr 16 at 12:37
Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer. Avoid asking multiple distinct questions at once. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
add a comment |
Did the computer scientist at Xerox really develop the first LAN, but had no backing from the company to further develop these technologies, later showing this to both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates?
Just for reference, it is in reference to this story.
history
asked Apr 15 at 16:13
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
1817
New contributor
Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
put on hold as too broad by Raffzahn, Tomas By, Wilson, user180940, Ken Gober Apr 16 at 12:37
Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer. Avoid asking multiple distinct questions at once. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
Again, without a definition what consists a LAN in context of this question, there weill be no useful answer. Networks between computers have been available since the 1950s.
– Raffzahn
Apr 15 at 16:52
6
I think it is false to claim that Xerox did not back Ethernet or that it did not participate in its further development.
– Ken Gober
Apr 15 at 18:47
add a comment |
Did the computer scientist at Xerox really develop the first LAN, but had no backing from the company to further develop these technologies, later showing this to both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates?
Just for reference, it is in reference to this story.
history
asked Apr 15 at 16:13
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
1817
New contributor
Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Did the computer scientist at Xerox really develop the first LAN, but had no backing from the company to further develop these technologies, later showing this to both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates?
Just for reference, it is in reference to this story.
history
history
asked Apr 15 at 16:13
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
1817
New contributor
Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Apr 15 at 16:13
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
1817
New contributor
Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Apr 15 at 16:13
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
1817
New contributor
Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Apr 15 at 16:13
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
1817
asked Apr 15 at 16:13
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
1817
1817
New contributor
Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
put on hold as too broad by Raffzahn, Tomas By, Wilson, user180940, Ken Gober Apr 16 at 12:37
Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer. Avoid asking multiple distinct questions at once. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
put on hold as too broad by Raffzahn, Tomas By, Wilson, user180940, Ken Gober Apr 16 at 12:37
Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer. Avoid asking multiple distinct questions at once. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
Again, without a definition what consists a LAN in context of this question, there weill be no useful answer. Networks between computers have been available since the 1950s.
– Raffzahn
Apr 15 at 16:52
6
I think it is false to claim that Xerox did not back Ethernet or that it did not participate in its further development.
– Ken Gober
Apr 15 at 18:47
add a comment |
Again, without a definition what consists a LAN in context of this question, there weill be no useful answer. Networks between computers have been available since the 1950s.
– Raffzahn
Apr 15 at 16:52
6
I think it is false to claim that Xerox did not back Ethernet or that it did not participate in its further development.
– Ken Gober
Apr 15 at 18:47
Again, without a definition what consists a LAN in context of this question, there weill be no useful answer. Networks between computers have been available since the 1950s.
– Raffzahn
Apr 15 at 16:52
Again, without a definition what consists a LAN in context of this question, there weill be no useful answer. Networks between computers have been available since the 1950s.
– Raffzahn
Apr 15 at 16:52
6
6
I think it is false to claim that Xerox did not back Ethernet or that it did not participate in its further development.
– Ken Gober
Apr 15 at 18:47
I think it is false to claim that Xerox did not back Ethernet or that it did not participate in its further development.
– Ken Gober
Apr 15 at 18:47
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
Xerox developed ethernet. Was there a local area network preceding ethernet?
There was certainly wide area networking before ethernet, e.g. ARPANET dating from 1969.
There was also local networking even earlier, e.g. the IBM 1401, sold as a small mainframe in its own right, also ended up being used as a peripheral controller for larger mainframes; this arrangement could be called a network. But one feels it was not quite the same thing. So what was novel about the Xerox LAN?
Ethernet was designed to be a purely local network among peer workstations. And I think the Xerox Alto was the first general-purpose workstation in the sense that term came to be used.
So if you use the term LAN in that particular sense, I think the answer is yes, ethernet was the first.
answered Apr 15 at 18:25
rwallacerwallace
11.3k458166
7
ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 15 at 21:03
4
@MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.
– Peter M.
Apr 15 at 21:43
5
What about DECnet? " Originally released in 1975 in order to connect two PDP-11 minicomputers, it evolved into one of the first peer-to-peer network architectures" (Wikipedia).
– No'am Newman
Apr 16 at 8:00
1
Phase I was not a LAN, but basically a glorified serial cable.Phase II was a LAN, but was not released until 1978 (the wiki is wrong). IBM's SNA was about the same time too, but I don't know if it was peer-to-peer until later, it was mostly about connecting
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 16 at 15:46
add a comment |
Xerox developed the Ethernet, which is a LAN, but most likely not the first LAN.
answered Apr 15 at 16:56
JustmeJustme
3973
2
Care to discuss what you think was the first lan.
– Neil Meyer
Apr 16 at 6:45
2
@NeilMeyer The NPL network is an obvious counterexample to Xerox being the first, though I doubt NPL was the first either.
– Sneftel
Apr 16 at 8:51
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Xerox developed ethernet. Was there a local area network preceding ethernet?
There was certainly wide area networking before ethernet, e.g. ARPANET dating from 1969.
There was also local networking even earlier, e.g. the IBM 1401, sold as a small mainframe in its own right, also ended up being used as a peripheral controller for larger mainframes; this arrangement could be called a network. But one feels it was not quite the same thing. So what was novel about the Xerox LAN?
Ethernet was designed to be a purely local network among peer workstations. And I think the Xerox Alto was the first general-purpose workstation in the sense that term came to be used.
So if you use the term LAN in that particular sense, I think the answer is yes, ethernet was the first.
answered Apr 15 at 18:25
rwallacerwallace
11.3k458166
7
ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 15 at 21:03
4
@MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.
– Peter M.
Apr 15 at 21:43
5
What about DECnet? " Originally released in 1975 in order to connect two PDP-11 minicomputers, it evolved into one of the first peer-to-peer network architectures" (Wikipedia).
– No'am Newman
Apr 16 at 8:00
1
Phase I was not a LAN, but basically a glorified serial cable.Phase II was a LAN, but was not released until 1978 (the wiki is wrong). IBM's SNA was about the same time too, but I don't know if it was peer-to-peer until later, it was mostly about connecting
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 16 at 15:46
add a comment |
Xerox developed ethernet. Was there a local area network preceding ethernet?
There was certainly wide area networking before ethernet, e.g. ARPANET dating from 1969.
There was also local networking even earlier, e.g. the IBM 1401, sold as a small mainframe in its own right, also ended up being used as a peripheral controller for larger mainframes; this arrangement could be called a network. But one feels it was not quite the same thing. So what was novel about the Xerox LAN?
Ethernet was designed to be a purely local network among peer workstations. And I think the Xerox Alto was the first general-purpose workstation in the sense that term came to be used.
So if you use the term LAN in that particular sense, I think the answer is yes, ethernet was the first.
answered Apr 15 at 18:25
rwallacerwallace
11.3k458166
7
ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 15 at 21:03
4
@MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.
– Peter M.
Apr 15 at 21:43
5
What about DECnet? " Originally released in 1975 in order to connect two PDP-11 minicomputers, it evolved into one of the first peer-to-peer network architectures" (Wikipedia).
– No'am Newman
Apr 16 at 8:00
1
Phase I was not a LAN, but basically a glorified serial cable.Phase II was a LAN, but was not released until 1978 (the wiki is wrong). IBM's SNA was about the same time too, but I don't know if it was peer-to-peer until later, it was mostly about connecting
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 16 at 15:46
add a comment |
Xerox developed ethernet. Was there a local area network preceding ethernet?
There was certainly wide area networking before ethernet, e.g. ARPANET dating from 1969.
There was also local networking even earlier, e.g. the IBM 1401, sold as a small mainframe in its own right, also ended up being used as a peripheral controller for larger mainframes; this arrangement could be called a network. But one feels it was not quite the same thing. So what was novel about the Xerox LAN?
Ethernet was designed to be a purely local network among peer workstations. And I think the Xerox Alto was the first general-purpose workstation in the sense that term came to be used.
So if you use the term LAN in that particular sense, I think the answer is yes, ethernet was the first.
answered Apr 15 at 18:25
rwallacerwallace
11.3k458166
Xerox developed ethernet. Was there a local area network preceding ethernet?
There was certainly wide area networking before ethernet, e.g. ARPANET dating from 1969.
There was also local networking even earlier, e.g. the IBM 1401, sold as a small mainframe in its own right, also ended up being used as a peripheral controller for larger mainframes; this arrangement could be called a network. But one feels it was not quite the same thing. So what was novel about the Xerox LAN?
Ethernet was designed to be a purely local network among peer workstations. And I think the Xerox Alto was the first general-purpose workstation in the sense that term came to be used.
So if you use the term LAN in that particular sense, I think the answer is yes, ethernet was the first.
answered Apr 15 at 18:25
rwallacerwallace
11.3k458166
answered Apr 15 at 18:25
rwallacerwallace
11.3k458166
answered Apr 15 at 18:25
rwallacerwallace
11.3k458166
answered Apr 15 at 18:25
rwallacerwallace
11.3k458166
11.3k458166
7
ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 15 at 21:03
4
@MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.
– Peter M.
Apr 15 at 21:43
5
What about DECnet? " Originally released in 1975 in order to connect two PDP-11 minicomputers, it evolved into one of the first peer-to-peer network architectures" (Wikipedia).
– No'am Newman
Apr 16 at 8:00
1
Phase I was not a LAN, but basically a glorified serial cable.Phase II was a LAN, but was not released until 1978 (the wiki is wrong). IBM's SNA was about the same time too, but I don't know if it was peer-to-peer until later, it was mostly about connecting
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 16 at 15:46
add a comment |
7
ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 15 at 21:03
4
@MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.
– Peter M.
Apr 15 at 21:43
5
What about DECnet? " Originally released in 1975 in order to connect two PDP-11 minicomputers, it evolved into one of the first peer-to-peer network architectures" (Wikipedia).
– No'am Newman
Apr 16 at 8:00
1
Phase I was not a LAN, but basically a glorified serial cable.Phase II was a LAN, but was not released until 1978 (the wiki is wrong). IBM's SNA was about the same time too, but I don't know if it was peer-to-peer until later, it was mostly about connecting
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 16 at 15:46
7
7
ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 15 at 21:03
ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 15 at 21:03
4
4
@MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.
– Peter M.
Apr 15 at 21:43
@MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.
– Peter M.
Apr 15 at 21:43
5
5
What about DECnet? " Originally released in 1975 in order to connect two PDP-11 minicomputers, it evolved into one of the first peer-to-peer network architectures" (Wikipedia).
– No'am Newman
Apr 16 at 8:00
What about DECnet? " Originally released in 1975 in order to connect two PDP-11 minicomputers, it evolved into one of the first peer-to-peer network architectures" (Wikipedia).
– No'am Newman
Apr 16 at 8:00
1
1
Phase I was not a LAN, but basically a glorified serial cable.Phase II was a LAN, but was not released until 1978 (the wiki is wrong). IBM's SNA was about the same time too, but I don't know if it was peer-to-peer until later, it was mostly about connecting
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 16 at 15:46
Phase I was not a LAN, but basically a glorified serial cable.Phase II was a LAN, but was not released until 1978 (the wiki is wrong). IBM's SNA was about the same time too, but I don't know if it was peer-to-peer until later, it was mostly about connecting
– Maury Markowitz
Apr 16 at 15:46
add a comment |
Xerox developed the Ethernet, which is a LAN, but most likely not the first LAN.
answered Apr 15 at 16:56
JustmeJustme
3973
2
Care to discuss what you think was the first lan.
– Neil Meyer
Apr 16 at 6:45
2
@NeilMeyer The NPL network is an obvious counterexample to Xerox being the first, though I doubt NPL was the first either.
– Sneftel
Apr 16 at 8:51
add a comment |
Xerox developed the Ethernet, which is a LAN, but most likely not the first LAN.
answered Apr 15 at 16:56
JustmeJustme
3973
2
Care to discuss what you think was the first lan.
– Neil Meyer
Apr 16 at 6:45
2
@NeilMeyer The NPL network is an obvious counterexample to Xerox being the first, though I doubt NPL was the first either.
– Sneftel
Apr 16 at 8:51
add a comment |
Xerox developed the Ethernet, which is a LAN, but most likely not the first LAN.
answered Apr 15 at 16:56
JustmeJustme
3973
Xerox developed the Ethernet, which is a LAN, but most likely not the first LAN.
answered Apr 15 at 16:56
JustmeJustme
3973
answered Apr 15 at 16:56
JustmeJustme
3973
answered Apr 15 at 16:56
JustmeJustme
3973
answered Apr 15 at 16:56
JustmeJustme
3973
3973
2
Care to discuss what you think was the first lan.
– Neil Meyer
Apr 16 at 6:45
2
@NeilMeyer The NPL network is an obvious counterexample to Xerox being the first, though I doubt NPL was the first either.
– Sneftel
Apr 16 at 8:51
add a comment |
2
Care to discuss what you think was the first lan.
– Neil Meyer
Apr 16 at 6:45
2
@NeilMeyer The NPL network is an obvious counterexample to Xerox being the first, though I doubt NPL was the first either.
– Sneftel
Apr 16 at 8:51
2
2
Care to discuss what you think was the first lan.
– Neil Meyer
Apr 16 at 6:45
Care to discuss what you think was the first lan.
– Neil Meyer
Apr 16 at 6:45
2
2
@NeilMeyer The NPL network is an obvious counterexample to Xerox being the first, though I doubt NPL was the first either.
– Sneftel
Apr 16 at 8:51
@NeilMeyer The NPL network is an obvious counterexample to Xerox being the first, though I doubt NPL was the first either.
– Sneftel
Apr 16 at 8:51
add a comment |
Again, without a definition what consists a LAN in context of this question, there weill be no useful answer. Networks between computers have been available since the 1950s.
– Raffzahn
Apr 15 at 16:52
6
I think it is false to claim that Xerox did not back Ethernet or that it did not participate in its further development.
– Ken Gober
Apr 15 at 18:47