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From: laws@CCINT1.RSRE.MOD.UK ("John")
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: IP in the UK (was Re: Fingering the English)
Message-ID: <9106210344.AA19428@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 21 Jun 91 03:44:09 GMT
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Organization: The Internet
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Ian,

I agree with your history. It does seem to agree with my memory of events.
For the last 12 years I have been responsible for funding and the use of
the UK MOD interconnection to the US Internet (nee Arpanet). During that
period and prior to it I have had involvement with the JNT. BTW for many
years I carried academic traffic at my cost; more recently we (I & JNT)
have agreed to joint funding of the link. I still have an early 80's
lapel button "I survived the TCP transition" and I can recall C-Book
discussions well before that date.

I also recall that I was using BT (then GPO) X.25 in the late 70's.

It is some regret, to me at least, that my Country no longer knows how
to judge the time and place to invest in a Grand Challenge (probably has
something to do with the accountants moving in - value for money). In the
late 60's and early 70's the UK was co-equal with the US in networking.
There was also an internetworking (EIN) programme in Europe throughout
the 70's (see early ICCC Proceedings).

The JNT is responsible through various academic boards to the Dept of
Education & Science. In the mid/late 70's it would be unlikely to have
a winning case to the Boards for networking based upon a still developing
concept that was largely funded by a Defense community; much better to
have a case based upon concepts being developed in the civil/vendor
community.

John