[Info-vax] An alternative history of computing

[David Jones]

On Monday, July 26, 2021 at 6:27:22 AM UTC-4, chris wrote:
> Originally, all that was loosely based on an ISO model, 
> the sort of standards that DEC were great supporters 
> and contributors to at all levels, but really backed 
> themselves into a corner over decnet. An obscure set 
> of protocols and command set reminiscent of the sort of 
> serisl line and telco ideas dating back to the 1970's. 
> TCP/IP was faster, easier to visualise in design, to 
> program and above all, a completely open source and fixed 
> set of standards that anyone could use, improve and generally 
> contribute to. 

The TCP/IP standards were developed over decades, RFC superceding RFC.
The RFC specifications often had gaps which results in conflicting implementations
by different parties, usually resolved by adopting the interpretation of the one 
which has bigger presence in the rather limited ARPANET ecosystem.

 Eventually it got reliable enough that  V.P. Gore proposed dropping the commerce
restrictions.