Source: Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet

Authors: Katie Hafner and Matthew Lyon

In chapter 7, Katie describes the transformation of the web from a formal academic/professional service to one used for personal interest. She describes how Len Kleinrock in 1973 forgot his razor at a conference in England; once back in the U.S., he used the Arpanet to ask his friend to bring his razor back. Kleinrock stated that, “I felt I was stretching the net” (189). This move to personal use continued with the introduction of email programs, where people became more relaxed about what they said. The next big move away from the professional Arpanet was with the introduction of the computer game: Adventure. The game was transferred all over the network from machine to machine. “Adventure demonstrated the appeal of an open networking culture and an emphasis on openness grew with time”. This was an important milestone for the early network, which pushed it down the path towards the current masterpiece we now call the internet.