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Did Xerox really develop the first LAN?



Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 17/18, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern)Was there any commercially available graphical interfaces before the apple Lisa?Were people building FPGAs out of TTL logic prior to the first sales in 1984?How was the Microsoft PDP-10 8080 emulator developed?How was the Traf-O-Data 8008 simulator developed?Amiga versus Atari ST computer introductionsThe almost-was Atari IBM PCLabor input for manufacture of early personal computersPatent barriers to IBM mainframe compatibility?IBM would-be purchase of CP/MDid Xerox engineers really develop the first OOP programming language?










4















Did the computer scientist at Xerox really develop the first LAN, but had no backing from the company to further develop these technologies, later showing this to both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates?



Just for reference, it is in reference to this story.










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  • Again, without a definition what consists a LAN in context of this question, there weill be no useful answer. Networks between computers have been available since the 1950s.

    – Raffzahn
    5 hours ago






  • 1





    I think it is false to claim that Xerox did not back Ethernet or that it did not participate in its further development.

    – Ken Gober
    3 hours ago















4















Did the computer scientist at Xerox really develop the first LAN, but had no backing from the company to further develop these technologies, later showing this to both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates?



Just for reference, it is in reference to this story.










share|improve this question







New contributor




Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.




















  • Again, without a definition what consists a LAN in context of this question, there weill be no useful answer. Networks between computers have been available since the 1950s.

    – Raffzahn
    5 hours ago






  • 1





    I think it is false to claim that Xerox did not back Ethernet or that it did not participate in its further development.

    – Ken Gober
    3 hours ago













4












4








4








Did the computer scientist at Xerox really develop the first LAN, but had no backing from the company to further develop these technologies, later showing this to both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates?



Just for reference, it is in reference to this story.










share|improve this question







New contributor




Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












Did the computer scientist at Xerox really develop the first LAN, but had no backing from the company to further develop these technologies, later showing this to both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates?



Just for reference, it is in reference to this story.







history






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Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question







New contributor




Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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asked 6 hours ago









Neil MeyerNeil Meyer

1344




1344




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Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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Neil Meyer is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












  • Again, without a definition what consists a LAN in context of this question, there weill be no useful answer. Networks between computers have been available since the 1950s.

    – Raffzahn
    5 hours ago






  • 1





    I think it is false to claim that Xerox did not back Ethernet or that it did not participate in its further development.

    – Ken Gober
    3 hours ago

















  • Again, without a definition what consists a LAN in context of this question, there weill be no useful answer. Networks between computers have been available since the 1950s.

    – Raffzahn
    5 hours ago






  • 1





    I think it is false to claim that Xerox did not back Ethernet or that it did not participate in its further development.

    – Ken Gober
    3 hours ago
















Again, without a definition what consists a LAN in context of this question, there weill be no useful answer. Networks between computers have been available since the 1950s.

– Raffzahn
5 hours ago





Again, without a definition what consists a LAN in context of this question, there weill be no useful answer. Networks between computers have been available since the 1950s.

– Raffzahn
5 hours ago




1




1





I think it is false to claim that Xerox did not back Ethernet or that it did not participate in its further development.

– Ken Gober
3 hours ago





I think it is false to claim that Xerox did not back Ethernet or that it did not participate in its further development.

– Ken Gober
3 hours ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















6














Xerox developed the Ethernet, which is a LAN, but most likely not the first LAN.






share|improve this answer






























    6














    Xerox developed ethernet. Was there a local area network preceding ethernet?



    There was certainly wide area networking before ethernet, e.g. ARPANET dating from 1969.



    There was also local networking even earlier, e.g. the IBM 1401, sold as a small mainframe in its own right, also ended up being used as a peripheral controller for larger mainframes; this arrangement could be called a network. But one feels it was not quite the same thing. So what was novel about the Xerox LAN?



    Ethernet was designed to be a purely local network among peer workstations. And I think the Xerox Alto was the first general-purpose workstation in the sense that term came to be used.



    So if you use the term LAN in that particular sense, I think the answer is yes, ethernet was the first.






    share|improve this answer


















    • 1





      ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.

      – Maury Markowitz
      1 hour ago











    • @MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.

      – Peter M.
      51 mins ago











    Your Answer








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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    6














    Xerox developed the Ethernet, which is a LAN, but most likely not the first LAN.






    share|improve this answer



























      6














      Xerox developed the Ethernet, which is a LAN, but most likely not the first LAN.






      share|improve this answer

























        6












        6








        6







        Xerox developed the Ethernet, which is a LAN, but most likely not the first LAN.






        share|improve this answer













        Xerox developed the Ethernet, which is a LAN, but most likely not the first LAN.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 5 hours ago









        JustmeJustme

        3493




        3493





















            6














            Xerox developed ethernet. Was there a local area network preceding ethernet?



            There was certainly wide area networking before ethernet, e.g. ARPANET dating from 1969.



            There was also local networking even earlier, e.g. the IBM 1401, sold as a small mainframe in its own right, also ended up being used as a peripheral controller for larger mainframes; this arrangement could be called a network. But one feels it was not quite the same thing. So what was novel about the Xerox LAN?



            Ethernet was designed to be a purely local network among peer workstations. And I think the Xerox Alto was the first general-purpose workstation in the sense that term came to be used.



            So if you use the term LAN in that particular sense, I think the answer is yes, ethernet was the first.






            share|improve this answer


















            • 1





              ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.

              – Maury Markowitz
              1 hour ago











            • @MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.

              – Peter M.
              51 mins ago















            6














            Xerox developed ethernet. Was there a local area network preceding ethernet?



            There was certainly wide area networking before ethernet, e.g. ARPANET dating from 1969.



            There was also local networking even earlier, e.g. the IBM 1401, sold as a small mainframe in its own right, also ended up being used as a peripheral controller for larger mainframes; this arrangement could be called a network. But one feels it was not quite the same thing. So what was novel about the Xerox LAN?



            Ethernet was designed to be a purely local network among peer workstations. And I think the Xerox Alto was the first general-purpose workstation in the sense that term came to be used.



            So if you use the term LAN in that particular sense, I think the answer is yes, ethernet was the first.






            share|improve this answer


















            • 1





              ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.

              – Maury Markowitz
              1 hour ago











            • @MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.

              – Peter M.
              51 mins ago













            6












            6








            6







            Xerox developed ethernet. Was there a local area network preceding ethernet?



            There was certainly wide area networking before ethernet, e.g. ARPANET dating from 1969.



            There was also local networking even earlier, e.g. the IBM 1401, sold as a small mainframe in its own right, also ended up being used as a peripheral controller for larger mainframes; this arrangement could be called a network. But one feels it was not quite the same thing. So what was novel about the Xerox LAN?



            Ethernet was designed to be a purely local network among peer workstations. And I think the Xerox Alto was the first general-purpose workstation in the sense that term came to be used.



            So if you use the term LAN in that particular sense, I think the answer is yes, ethernet was the first.






            share|improve this answer













            Xerox developed ethernet. Was there a local area network preceding ethernet?



            There was certainly wide area networking before ethernet, e.g. ARPANET dating from 1969.



            There was also local networking even earlier, e.g. the IBM 1401, sold as a small mainframe in its own right, also ended up being used as a peripheral controller for larger mainframes; this arrangement could be called a network. But one feels it was not quite the same thing. So what was novel about the Xerox LAN?



            Ethernet was designed to be a purely local network among peer workstations. And I think the Xerox Alto was the first general-purpose workstation in the sense that term came to be used.



            So if you use the term LAN in that particular sense, I think the answer is yes, ethernet was the first.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 4 hours ago









            rwallacerwallace

            10.8k454161




            10.8k454161







            • 1





              ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.

              – Maury Markowitz
              1 hour ago











            • @MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.

              – Peter M.
              51 mins ago












            • 1





              ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.

              – Maury Markowitz
              1 hour ago











            • @MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.

              – Peter M.
              51 mins ago







            1




            1





            ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.

            – Maury Markowitz
            1 hour ago





            ARCNET was developed during the same period as Ethernet and released the same year, 1976. ALOHA was from 1971, predating both. ALOHA directly inspired Ether. ALOHA, however, was not captive to a wire and was very wide area.

            – Maury Markowitz
            1 hour ago













            @MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.

            – Peter M.
            51 mins ago





            @MauryMarkowitz - this should a an answer - because it is.

            – Peter M.
            51 mins ago










            Neil Meyer is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.









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