Sunday, March 19, 2006

Computer Networks: Heralds of Resource Sharing

[Update: the definitive version of this list has moved to Wikipedia, thanks to Edward. I have also been told that I misidentified Jon Postel.]

This ARPANET film, from 1972, discussed recently on the Interesting People mailing list, features many of the most important names in computer networking. Some of them have speaking parts; some are only shown in cameos. Here is a list of the ones identified so far. It would be better to actually annotate the video for this, or at least put up a wiki, but this is quick...comments encouraged!

Speaking parts:

  • Fernando J. Corbato (Corby), more links here: (voice 0:45-1:15, face 1:00-1:15, 15:10-15:40) Turing Award-winning implementer of multitasking operating systems.
  • J.C.R. Licklider: (1:00-1:40), and many times throughout the film
  • Lawrence G. Roberts: (voice 1:40-2:25) SIGCOMM Award winner.
  • Robert Kahn: (2:25-2:35, 3:15-6:25, 6:55-) Turing Award winner.
  • Frank Heart: (2:35-3:15, 6:25-6:55)
  • William R. Sutherland: (13:50-15:10)
  • Richard W. Watson: (17:34-18:30, 25:05-25:15) Dick is one of the key mass storage researchers of the last thirty years.
  • John R. Pasta: (18:30-19:25)
  • Donald W. Davies: (19:25-21:55)
  • George W. Mitchell: (21:55-24:05, voice only)


Non-speaking:


It would actually be nice to identify the locations and equipment, too...

5 comments:

Edward Vielmetti said...

I made a forward link to the documentary at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARPANET - that would point to http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Computer_Networks:_The_Heralds_of_Resource_Sharing&action=edit - that would be a good place to put this all. thanks!

Christopher Altman said...

Google video link is down; torrent link available here.

mix-age beta said...

this documentary is amazing, how did you get this film? do you know if it's possible to contact steven king? do you think MIT have a copy of this film?
Gil.

rdv said...

I didn't get the film anywhere; I'm not even sure who got it.

btw, I am told that the person I identified as Jon Postel is not Jon.

mix-age beta said...

thanks for these informations, i try to find the rights owner of this film, because i want to put some extract of it on my feature film mixagebeta about history of personal computer and internet. if you know something about that please send me mail at mixage.beta@gmail.com