[net.physics] Network differences

myers@bnl.UUCP (Eric Myers) (12/06/85)

> Incidentaly, The network commonly called BITNET is really three networks..
> BITNET (US), NORTHNET (Canada), and CERN (Europe).  (I think).

CERN is not a computer network, it is a physics laboratory in Geneva,
Switzerland. The name is a French acronym for Conseil Europe'en pour la
Recherche Nucle'aire (in English, "European Organization for Nuclear
Research"). The laboratory is funded by twelve European countires,
and currently has the largest particle accelerator in the world, the
Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS).  Two years ago physicists using the SPS
at CERN discovered the W and Z-0 intermediate vector bosons predicted
by the Weinberg-Salam-Glashow model of the weak interactions, which 
proved that the weak and electromagnetic forces are actually unified
in a common "electroweak" force.

And it just so happens that CERN is on BITNET.


-- 
Eric Myers,  Physics Dept., Brookhaven National Laboratory, Lon Guyland, NY
             myers@bnl.arpa / myers@bnl.bitnet / ...philabs!sbcs!bnl!myers

"And so we're told this is the Golden Age...
       Gold is the reason for the wars we wage."

dgary@ecsvax.UUCP (D Gary Grady) (12/17/85)

In article <173@bnl.UUCP> myers@bnl.UUCP (Eric Myers) writes:
[Quoting another posting]
>> Incidentaly, The network commonly called BITNET is really three networks..
>> BITNET (US), NORTHNET (Canada), and CERN (Europe).  (I think).
>
>CERN is not a computer network, it is a physics laboratory in Geneva,
>Switzerland. . .
>And it just so happens that CERN is on BITNET.

Actually, the other posting was making a stab in the right direction.
It's BITNET in the US, NETNORTH in Canada, and EARN (European Academic
and Research Network) in Europe.  I've also heard the European arm
called EARNET, perhaps because of the rabbits they used to have in the
tunnels at Desy (these bunnies had PhDs - I knew one).
-- 
D Gary Grady
Duke U Comp Center, Durham, NC  27706
(919) 684-3695
USENET:  {seismo,decvax,ihnp4,akgua,etc.}!mcnc!ecsvax!dgary

sgcpal@watdcsu.UUCP (P.A. Layman [EE-Silcon Devices Research]) (12/18/85)

In article <173@bnl.UUCP> myers@bnl.UUCP (Eric Myers) writes:
>> Incidentaly, The network commonly called BITNET is really three networks..
>> BITNET (US), NORTHNET (Canada), and CERN (Europe).  (I think).
>
>CERN is not a computer network, it is a physics laboratory in Geneva,

Should be BITNET(USA), NETNORTH(Canada), EARN (Europe)
		       --------		 ----

Paul A. Layman

University of Waterloo, Electrical Engineering,
Silicon Devices and Integrated Circuits Research Group (SiDIC)

UUCP:  {decvax|utzoo|ihnp4|allegra|clyde}!watmath!watdcsu!sgcpal