History of The Internet

First Packet Switching Concept

1965

In 1965, Donald Davies, a Welsh computer scientist at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), independently developed the concept of packet switching. Packet switching is a method of data transmission where information is broken down into smaller, manageable "packets" before being sent over a network. Each packet can travel independently from the sender to the receiver along various paths and is reassembled into the original message at the destination.

ARPANET

1969

(Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) was the first operational packet-switching network and a precursor to the modern internet. Developed in the late 1960s by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), ARPANET was initially designed as a way for government and research institutions to share information across different locations securely and efficiently.

E-Mail

1971

Ray Tomlinson invents email on ARPANET, introducing the "@" symbol.

Global Networking

1973

First international connections added to ARPANET in Norway and the UK.

TCP/IP Standardization

1979

TCP/IP becomes the standard protocol for ARPANET, creating the framework for internet data transmission.

Domain Name System (DNS)

1984

DNS is introduced, allowing easy-to-remember web addresses like ".com" and ".org".

World Wide Web Proposal

1986

Tim Berners-Lee proposes the World Wide Web, an internet-based hypertext system.

FIrst Web Browser

1990

Berners-Lee creates the first web browser, called WorldWideWeb (later renamed Nexus).

Public Access to the Web

1991

The World Wide Web opens to the public, making internet use widely accessible.

Mosaic Browser

1993

The Mosaic web browser launches, popularizing the web and adding images.

Netscape Navigator

1994

Netscape Navigator is released, becoming the most popular browser of the early internet.

Commercialization and Launch of Amazon and eBay

1995

Internet commerce begins as Amazon and eBay go live.

Google Founded

1998

Google, now the leading search engine, is founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

Wikipedia Launched

2001

Wikipedia is launched, becoming a massive, open-source information resource.

MySpace and Social Networking Boom

2003

MySpace and other social media platforms gain popularity.

Facebook Launches

2004

Facebook is launched, initially for Harvard students only, changing social media forever.

YouTube Debuts

2005

YouTube launches, revolutionizing video content sharing online.

iPhone Released

2007

Apple’s iPhone release boosts mobile internet access significantly.

Instagram and Mobile Social Media

2010

Instagram launches, marking the rise of mobile-based social media.

Internet Usage Surge Due to COVID-19

2020

The pandemic causes a massive increase in internet use for remote work, learning, and socializing.