History of the Internet - Part One (of One Reflection)

The history of the internet is interesting for several reasons, not the least of which is the fact that our modern system developed from such a variety of sources.  I had already heard a lot of the information in the video our digital imaging class was asked to watch on the subject, but the video did help to put the different projects that would become the internet into perspective.  Perhaps the reason I have learned about this, and also the reason I find it interesting, is that my parents both worked with computers from the time of punch-cards and onward.  They have always done a good job of reminding me just how far computing has come, telling me stories about data transfer and networks in the old days.  When I used to think about the old networks designed for defense and information gathering/sharing purposes, I rarely remembered how important the systems in England and France were to the modern internet.  It is interesting to note that some of the most important developments in methods for sharing information with computers came from England and France, while America was initially more influential in the way hardware was arrange.  The concept of a decentralized network system that could survive an attack is important, but the idea of breaking up information into packets for transfer forms the backbone of how information travels from one computer to another.  Remembering these facts is important in reminding people just why it is called the World Wide Web, and how fortunate we are that the systems merged and gave us the wonderful source of information and means of communication we have today.