wpg@mendel.acc.Virginia.EDU (William P. Gardner) (05/30/90)
I am looking for references on the historical development of communications networks. For example, a history of the phone system, a history of the telegraph, a history of the railways, a history of the road systems. I would particularly appreciate leads to articles on the (very recent) history of computer networks. I understand that these are vast topics, but I'm not looking to become a scholar in any of these areas. What I want are interesting, high-level surveys, particularly ones that place the developments of these networks in a larger historical context, or that present the history in an analytical context (for example, an economic analysis). Please reply by mail, I will post a summary to the net if there is interest. William Gardner
eugene@wilbur.nas.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya) (06/08/90)
I wrote an unpublished paper on this when I was invited to China in 1984 (subsequently denied permission by the Government [sensitive technological position]). I collected papers from ARPAnet history (Elizabeth Feinler at SRI), and others. If you want to learn about phones, just go to the library, there are numerous books, sorry none off the top of my head, on the history of the phone systems, or just write AT&T, hell, phone them. Places like this write their own histories. A good history reference for computer networks (I have the history of Xerox PARC, Ames, etc.) is Tanenbaum's Computer Networks book, but it will not convey you the feeling of being an early net user. Also try [John] Quarterman's "[The] Matrix" book. e. nobuo miya
reggie@dinsdale.paradyne.com (George W. Leach) (06/09/90)
When I started my first tour of duty with the pre-divestiture Bell System, I was required to take a course in Basic Telephony. I wish I still have the book, I forget what the title and author were. There is a book: "Engineering and Operations in the Bell System", published by AT&T Bell Labs. I have the 1st (1977) and 2nd (1983) editions. I don't know if another one has been published since by AT&T (I went to Bellcore at divestiture). For the 1983 edition, the info is: ISBN 0-932764-04-5 AT&T Customer Information Center (CIC) Select Code 500-478 Call the CIC at 1-800-432-6600 There is always the AT&T Technical Journal (formerly called the Bell Labs Technical Journal and before that the Bell System Technical Journal). They started publishing back in the 20's or thereabouts. There must be something during all those years on the history of the phone system. George W. Leach