ARPANET - 1969: four node network (evolved into today's 190 millon-node Internet)

October 29, 1969 - Internet created; connection established between computers at UCLA, Stanford Research Institute in first wide area packet switching network, two nodeARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) of US Department of Defense, over 50 kbps line provided by AT&T.

1971 - Ray Tomlinson (Bolt Beranek and Newman) wrote/sent first email program through ARPANET (Internet) between two machines side by side; selected @ symbol to separate login name from host name in email.

December 13, 1977 - Robert M. Metcalfe, of Woodside, CA, David R. Boggs, of Palo Alto, CA, Charles P. Thacker; of Palo Alto, CA, Butler W. Lampson of Portola Valley, CA, received a patent for a "Multipoint Data Communication System with Collision Detection" ("apparatus for enabling communications between two or more data processing stations comprising a communication cable arranged in branched segments including taps distributed thereover"); ethernet; assigned to Xerox Corporation.

December 1984 - Stanford University computer scientists Len Bosack, Sandy Lerner co-founded Cisco Systems; named for San Francisco, gateway to Pacific Rim; 1991 - John Chambers hired as Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Operations; January 1995 - Chambers appointed CEO.

November 12, 1990 - Tim Berners-Lee, consulting software engineer at CERN (European Laboratory for Particle Physics, originally known as Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire), largest Internet node in Europe,  wrote program for first web browser (browser-editor), called WorldWideWeb, on  NeXT computer; December 25, 1990 - communicated with first web server at info.cern.ch; August 6, 1991 - put first website online, CERN telephone book (immediately useful,  rapidly accepted); 1994 - founded World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology; comprised companies willing to create standards,  recommendations to improve quality of Internet; December 2004 - accepted chair in Computer Science at School of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, UK.

February 1994 - Stanford University Ph.D students Jerry Yang, David Filo created Yahoo! (acronym for Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle!).

April 4, 1994 - Jim Clark, Marc Andreessen founded Mosaic Communications, renamed Netscape Communications; first commercial browser enabled better links, faster moves through Internet; October 1994 - Netscape web browser 1.0 released; August 10, 1995 - Netscape, developer of Navigator, popular software for surfing World Wide Web, went public; largest Initial Public Offering (IPO) in Wall Street history - five million shares priced at $28, traded to high of $72 (market value of $1.96 billion).

September 1995 - Pierre Omidyar, developer services engineer for General Magic (mobile communication platform company),  launched online service called Auction Web as sole proprietorship in his San Jose living room as online venue for direct person-to-person auction of collectible items; correspondents began to register trade goods of enormous variety; 1997 - name changed to eBay; hosted nearly 800,000 auctions a day; 1998 - went public; more than million registered users; recruited Hasbro executive Margaret Whitman to serve as CEO.

December 15, 1995 - Alta Vista web site, developed by researchers at Digital Equipment Research Laboratories in Palo Alto, CA, made public; first web-page discovery tool to gain wide popularity; initially indexed 16 million web pages; January 5, 1996 - handled 2 million requests per day; November 1996 - 22 million requests per day.

January 1996 - Larry Page, Sergey Brin began collaboration on search engine called BackRub (named for unique ability to analyze "back links" pointing to given website); September 1998 - Google Inc. opened (play on word googol, coined by Milton Sirotta, nephew of American mathematician Edward Kasner, popularized in book, Mathematics and the Imagination by Kasner and James Newman; refers to number represented by numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros; reflected company's mission to organize seemingly infinite amount of information available on web); September 21, 1999 - beta label came off website, search engine launched; August 19, 2004 - initial public offering; priced at $85 per share. Traded above $300 per share within first year; November 6, 2007 - traded at $747.24, all-time high.

July 4, 1996 - Hotmail went online (created by Sabeer Bhatia,  Jack Smith); acquired by Microsoft for $400 million.

December 23, 1997 - Jorn Barger, of Robot Wisdom, regarded as first blogger; began business of hunting, gathering links to things in which he was interested; David Winer (Scripting News), Cameron Barrett (CamWorld) early proponents.

October 1, 1998 - ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) created through Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between U.S. Department of Commerce, ICANN to transition management of Domain Name System (DNS) from U.S. government to global community; not-for-profit public/private partnership dedicated to keeping Internet secure, stable, interoperable; assumed responsibility for selling top-level domain names for Internet (coordination role of Internet’s naming system).

2002 - Blake Ross (17), Dave Hyatt launched Mozilla Firefox project, community-made Web browser; November 9, 2004 - released Firefox 1.0, open-source and non-profit web browser; 2006 - Interbrand named Firefox one of top ten brands in world (over 15% of world’s Web users use it); with Joe Hewitt formed Parakey, Inc. to develop software billed as Web-based operating system; July 2007 - acquired by Facebook.

October 9, 2006 - Google agreed to pay $1.65 billion in stock for YouTube,19-month old video-sharing start-up

February 1, 2008 - Microsoft made unsolicited $44.7 billion bid for Yahoo in attempt to better compete with Google. 

(Cisco Systems), David Bunnell with Adam Brate. (2000). Making the Cisco Connection: The Story Behind the Real Internet Superpower. (New York, NY: Wiley, 218 p.). Cisco Systems, Inc.; Cisco Systems, Inc.; Telecommunication; Telecommunication--Equipment and supplies; Routers (Computer networks).

(Cisco Systems), Jeffrey A. Young (2000). Cisco Unauthorized: Inside the High-Stakes Race to Own the Future. (Roseville, CA: Forum, 310 p.). Cisco Systems, Inc.; Internet industry--United States; Internetworking (Telecommunication)--United States.

(Cisco Systems), Ed Paulson (2001). Inside Cisco: The Real Story of Sustained M & A Growth. (New York, NY: Wiley, 314 p.). Cisco Systems, Inc.; Computer industry--Mergers--California; Consolidation and merger of corporations--California.

(Cisco Systems), John K. Waters (2002). John Chambers and the CISCO Way: Navigating Through Volatility. (New York, NY: Wiley, 192 p.). Chambers, John T.; Cisco Systems, Inc.; Chief executive officers--United States--Biography; Internet industry--United States--Management. 

(Cisco Systems), Robert Slater (2003). The Eye of the Storm: How John Chambers Steered Cisco Through the Internet Collapse. (New York, NY: HarperBusiness, 289 p.). Chambers, John, 1949- ; Cisco Systems, Inc.--Management; Corporate turnarounds--United States--Case studies; Computer industry--United States--Management--Case studies; Data transmission equipment industry--United States--Management--Case studies; Computer industry--United States--History; Data transmission equipment industry--United States--History; Internet industry--United States--History.

(Craigslist.com), Kyle MacDonald (2007).  One Red Paperclip: Or How an Ordinary Man Achieved His Dreams with the Help of a Simple Office Supply. (New York, NY: Three Rivers Press, 320 p.). MacDonald, Kyle, 1979- ; Craigslist.com (Firm); Barter; Exchange; Electronic commerce. July 2005 - year-long series of 14 "up-trades" on internet, from paperclip to house.

(e-Bay), David Bunnell with Richard A. Luecke (2000). The e-Bay Phenomenon: Business Secrets Behind the World's Hottest Internet Company. (New York, NY: Wiley, 210 p.). Internet auctions.

(e-Bay), Adam Cohen (2002). The Perfect Store: Inside eBay. (Boston, MA: Little, Brown, 332 p.). Internet auctions.

(e-Bay), Kenneth Walton (2006). Fake: Forgery, Lies and eBay. (New York, NY: Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 304 p.). Walton, Ken, 1967- ; Fetterman, Ken; Internet fraud--United States--Case studies; Arts--Forgeries--United States--Case studies; Internet auctions--Corrupt practices--United States--Case studies. Power of greed - scandal that forever changed way eBay does business.

(e-Bay), Elen Lewis (2007). Great Brand Stories: eBay: The Story of a Brand That Taught Millions of People to Trust One Another. (London, UK: Cyan Communications, 192 p.). Internet auctions. Online community of strangers (168 million registered users in 33 countries), trust they exude when exchanging goods, money.

(e-Bay), Ken Steiglitz (2007). Snipers, Shills & Sharks: eBay and Human Behavior. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 298 p.). Professor of Computer Science (Princeton University). Internet auctions; Game theory; eBay through lens of auction theory; how human behaviors in open markets like eBay can be substantially more complex than those predicted by standard economic theory.

(eBay), Meg Whitman; with Joan O’C. Hamilton (2010). The Power of Many: Values for Success in Business and in Life. (New York, NY, Crown, 288 p.). Former President and CEO of eBay. Success in business; Success. 1998 - Took over 30-strong company, revenues less than $5m; 2008 - revenues of almost $8bn, 15,000 employees; ten core values that steered her to success without ethical compromise (trust, authenticity, courage, validation; origins of her values, underpinnings of her approach; achievement teamed with optimism, trust, honesty.

(Google), John Battelle (2005). The Search: The Inside Story of How Google and Its Rivals Changed Everything. (New York, NY: Portfolio, 288 p.). Co-founding Editor of Wired, Founder of The Industry Standard. Google (Firm); Google; Internet industry--United States; Web search engines; Internet searching; Information society--United States.  Google's success: how search technology works, power of targeted advertising, impact on society.

(Google), Neil Taylor (2005). Search Me: The Surprising Success of Google. (London: Cyan, 192 p.). Google; Google (Firm); Google; Internet industry--United States; Brand name products -- Case studies.

(Google), David Vise, Mark Malseed (2005). The Google Story: Inside the Hottest Business, Media, and Technology Success of Our Time. (New York, NY: Delacorte Press, 336 p.). Reporter (Washington Post); Researcher. Google (Firm); Google; Internet industry--United States; Web search engines; Internet searching; Information society--United States. Account of populist media company.

(MySpace), Julia Angwin (2009).  Stealing MySpace: The Battle To Control the Most Popular Website in America. (New York, NY: Random House, 371 p.). Reporter (Wall Street Journal). MySpace (Firm); Internet industry --United States --History. How MySpace became media powerhouse; Rupert Murdoch, MySpace versus Facebook; 2005 - acquired by News Corporation for $580 million as part of strategy to move media conglomerate into 21st century.

(Netscape), Michael A. Cusumano and David B. Yoffie (1998). Competing on Internet Time: Lessons from Netscape and Its Battle with Microsoft. (New York, NY: Free Press, 361 p.). Internet Software Industry, Netscape Communications, Microsoft Corporation.

(Netscape), Joshua Quittner and Michelle Slatalla (1998). Speeding the Net: The inside Story of Netscape and How It Challenged Microsoft. (New York, NY: Atlantic Monthly Press, 323 p.). Netscape Communications Corporation--History; Microsoft Corporation--History; Internet software industry--United States--History.

(Netscape), Jim Clark with Owen Edwards (1999). Netscape Time: The Making of the Billion-Dollar Start-up That Took on Microsoft. (New York, NY: St. Martin's Press, 276 p.). Netscape Communications Corporation -- History; Internet software industry -- United States -- History.

(PayPal), Eric M. Jackson (2004). The PayPal Wars: Battles with eBay, the Media, the Mafia, and the Rest of Planet Earth. (Los Angeles, CA: World Ahead Pub., 344 p.). Former PayPal Senior U.S. Marketing Director. PayPal (Firm); Electronic funds transfers equipment industry; Electronic commerce; Payment--United States.

(Siebel Systems), Thomas M. Siebel (2001). Taking Care of Ebusiness: How Today's Market Leaders Are Increasing Revenue, Productivity, and Customer Satisfaction. (New York, NY: Doubleday. Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Siebel Systems. Electronic commerce; Success in business; Strategic planning. 

(Yahoo!), Anthony Vlamis & Bob Smith (2001). Do You? Business the Yahoo! Way: Secrets of the World's Most Popular Internet Company. (Milford, CT: Capstone, 231 p.). Yahoo! Inc.; Internet industry--United States.

(Yahoo!), Karen Angel (2002). Inside Yahoo!: Reinvention and the Road Ahead. (New York, NY: Wiley, 276 p.). Yahoo! Inc.; Success in business. 

Janet Abbate (1999). Inventing the Internet. (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 264 p.). Internet, Computer Network.

Tim Berners-Lee with Mark Fischetti (1999). Weaving the Web: The Original Design and Ultimate Destiny of the World Wide Web by Its Inventor. (San Francisco, CA: Harper, 226 p.). Berners-Lee, Tim; World Wide Web (Information retrieval system)--History.

John Cassidy (2001). Dot.Con: How America Lost Its Mind and Money in the Internet Era. (New York, NY: HarperCollins. Staff Writer (New Yorker). Internet industry--United States--Finance; Electronic commerce--United States--Finance; Stocks--United States; Electronic trading of securities--United States.

Jack Goldsmith and Tim Wu (2006). Who Controls the Internet?: Illusions of a Borderless World. (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 240 p.). Internet--Social aspects; Internet--Government policy; Internet--Law and legislation. Internet's challenge to governmental rule in 1990s, ensuing battles with governments around world.

Katie Hafner and Matthew Lyon (1996). Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet. (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 304 p.). Internet.

Leslie S. Hiraoka (2005). Underwriting the Internet: How Technical Advances, Financial Engineering, and Entrepreneurial Genius Are Building the Information Highway. (Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, Inc., 297 p.). Department of Management Science (Kean University). Internet; Internet--Economic aspects; Information superhighway. Internet's commercial development.

Philip J. Kaplan (2002). F'd Companies: Spectacular Dot.com Flameouts. (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 191 p.). President of PK Interactive. F'd companies : spectacular dot.com flameouts / Philip J. Kaplan; Business failures--United States--Case studies; Internet industry--United States--Case studies; Electronic commerce--United States--Case studies.

Byung-Keun Kim (2005). Internationalising the Internet: The Co-Evolution of Influence and Technology. (Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing, 300 p.). Professor, School of Industrial Management (Korea University of Technology and Education). Internet--Economic aspects; Internet--Social aspects; Technological innovations--Economic aspects; Technological innovations--Social aspects. Global formation of Internet system, how digital economy formed.

Michael Lewis (2001). Next: The Future Just Happened. (New York, NY: Norton, 236 p.). Internet--Social aspects; Internet--Economic aspects.

Eds. Robert E. Litan and Alice M. Rivlin (2001). The Economic Payoff from the Internet Revolution. (Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 292 p.). Technological innovations--Economic aspects; Business enterprises--Computer network resources; Internet; Evolutionary economics.

D. Quinn Mills (2002). Buy, Lie, and Sell High: How Investors Lost Out on Enron and the Internet Bubble. (New York, NY: Financial Times Prentice Hall, 288 p.). Internet industry--Finance; Internet industry--United States; Online information services industry--Finance; Investments.

Christos P. Moschovitis (1999). History of the Internet : A Chronology, 1843 to the Present. (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 312 p.). Internet (Computer network); Telecommunication--History.

Louis E. V. Nevaer (2002). The Dot-Com Debacle and the Return to Reason. (Westport, CT: Quorum Books, 317 p.). Electronic commerce; High technology industries.

Anthony B. Perkins, Michael C. Perkins (2001). The Internet Bubble: The Inside Story on Why It Burst--and What You Can Do To Profit Now. (New York, NY: HarperBusiness, 327 p.). Internet industry--Finance; Online information services industry--Finance.

Robert H. Reid (1997). Architects of the Web: 1,000 Days That Built the Future of Business. (New York, NY: Wiley, 370 p.). Computer software industry--United States--History; Businesspeople--United States--Biography; World Wide Web--History.

Gary Rivlin (2001). The Godfather of Silicon Valley: Ron Conway and the Fall of the Dot-Coms. (New York, NY: AtRandom.com, 103 p.). Journalist. Conway, Ron; Electronic commerce--United States; Capitalists and financiers--United States.

Stephen Segaller (1998). Nerds 2.0.1: A Brief History of the Internet. (New York, NY: TV Books, 399 p.). Internet--History; Computer networks--History; Telecommunications engineers--United States; Information technology--History--20th century.

Clifford Stoll (1995). Silicon Snake Oil: Second Thoughts on the Information Highway. (New York, NY: Doubleday, 247 p.). Computers and civilization; Internet; Information technology.

Walter B. Wriston (2007). Bits, Bytes, and Balance Sheets: The New Economic Rules of Engagement in a New Wireless World. (Stanford, CA: Hoover Institution Press, Stanford University, 160 p.). Former Chairman, CEO of Citicorp. Internet--Economic aspects; Information technology; Electronic commerce. Consequences of changes produced by new economy of Internet; new rules (based on economic dogma, not human nature), intellectual capital more important than physical capital; information revolution has radically affected business, government practices, political policymaking throughout world; personal ethics of good people should regulate new economy, not increased government regulation, not more laws.

Matthew A. Zook (2005). The Geography of the Internet Industry: Venture Capital, Dot-Coms, and Local Knowledge. (Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 200 p.,). Internet industry--Location.

Business History Links

First U.S. Web Site: Documentation of the Early Web at SLAC (1991-1994)

http://www.slac.stanford.edu/history/earlyweb/

This collection documents the installation of the first United States Web server at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). Features a chronology, images of the first SLAC Web pages, a list of some of the people involved in Web activities at SLAC (along with publications such as "The Virtual Library in Action"), and other related documents. From Archivist Jean Marie Deken of the SLAC Archives and History Office.

The Museum of E-Failure

http://www.disobey.com/ghostsites/

The Museum of E-Failure bears witness to the dot.bomb phenomenon, presenting the last images of the front pages of failed Websites. Steve Baldwin, who maintains the site, explains, "It is my hope that these screenshots may serve as a reminder of the glory, folly, and historically unique design sensibilities of the Web's Great Gilded Age (1995-2001)." The sites are arranged in a long list, with recent additions on the top of the page. Clicking on a site name brings up a screen shot of the site's farewell front page. A sort of virtual graveyard, the Museum of E-Failure represents a memorial on the side of the information highway.

Net History

http://www.nethistory.info/index.html

Not-for-profit project, started by Internet expert and historian Ian Peter, as overview portal for Internet history materials.

What Are CERN's Greatest Achievements?: The World Wide Web

http://public.web.cern.ch/public/Content/Chapters/ AboutCERN/Achievements/WorldWideWeb/WWW-en.htm

History of the invention of the World Wide Web (WWW) in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee, a scientist at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research). "The basic idea of WWW was to merge the technologies of personal computers, computer networking and hypertext into a powerful and easy to use global information system." Discusses early Web pages, Web servers, browsers, how the Web is not identical to the Internet, and how the Web works. From CERN.

W3C: History

http://www.w3.org/Consortium/history

History of the creation of the Web in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee and of the origins of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), founded in 1994. Highlights include Berners-Lee's original proposal for the Web, a biography and FAQ from Berners-Lee, and archival documents about the organization and uses of the Web. From W3C.