The Birth of the Internet - A Look Back at RFC 1

The very first Request for Comments (RFC) document ever written, RFC1 was published in 1969. If you’ve ever wondered how the colossal web of connections we call the Internet got started, this is the story for you.

The Dawn of Networking

Picture this: it’s 1969, and the world of computing is still in its early days. Computers are massive beasts that fill entire rooms, and the concept of networking them together is just beginning to take shape. Enter the ARPANET, the precursor to the Internet, funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the U.S. Department of Defense. The goal? To connect a handful of research computers across the country so they could share resources and information.

But how do you make these computers talk to each other? That’s where RFC 1 comes in.

Enter RFC1: Host Software

Written by Steve Crocker on April 7, 1969, RFC 1 was humorously titled “Host Software.” Imagine being at the very start of the Internet’s history, trying to figure out how to get a bunch of different computers to communicate. Crocker and his team knew they needed some ground rules—a protocol, if you will—for these machines to talk across the ARPANET.

Now, you might be picturing a dry, technical document. But one of the coolest things about RFC 1 is its informal, almost conversational tone. It was more like a memo between friends than a rigid technical specification. This laid-back style set the stage for open dialogue and collaboration, which would become a hallmark of Internet development.

Building blocks of communication

The primary focus of RFC 1 was to outline the software each host computer needed to run to connect to the ARPANET. Think of it as the first draft of a universal translator for computers. At that time, computers were incredibly diverse—each with its own architecture and operating system. The challenge was finding a way for these disparate machines to communicate seamlessly.

Steve Crocker didn’t dive into detailed technical specifications right off the bat. Instead, RFC 1 emphasized the importance of creating a network protocol. It was like saying, “Hey, let’s come together and figure this out as a team.” And that’s exactly what they did—forming what Crocker dubbed the “Network Working Group.”

Collaboration is key

RFC 1 was less about dictating terms and more about fostering a collaborative environment. The document invited input, discussion, and iteration, setting a precedent for how Internet standards would evolve over the years. It was the birth of a community-driven approach that continues to shape the development of Internet protocols today.

Humble Beginnings

In hindsight, RFC 1 was a humble beginning for what would become the vast, interconnected world we live in today. It didn’t spell out the entire Internet as we know it, but it laid the groundwork for open communication and shared standards. It was the first step in a journey that would lead to the creation of TCP/IP, the World Wide Web, and everything that followed.

What Else was Happening?

• Publication of RFC 2: On the same day, Bill Duvall published RFC 2, which expanded on the ideas of host software and began refining the protocols necessary for the ARPANET to function, highlighting the rapid pace of progress in early Internet development.
• Ted Kennedy Announces Presidential Candidacy: Senator Ted Kennedy announced he would not run for the Democratic nomination for President in 1972 due to his scandal in allowing a young women (Mary Jo Kopechne) to drown in his car at the bottom of the Chappaquiddick.
• Birth of the Internet Meme “It’s Not Rocket Science”: In a humorous column published in the British magazine Punch, the phrase “It’s not rocket science” was first documented, becoming a popular expression to denote something simple compared to rocket science.
• Beginning of the World Health Organization’s Assembly: The 22nd World Health Assembly opened in Boston, where representatives from various countries gathered to discuss global health issues. This assembly played a significant role in shaping international health policies, which probably has been a major negative on the rest of us since then.