The invention and impact of Ethernet: A Research Paper
Ethernet, invented by Bob Metcalfe and his research partner in 1973, is a local area network technology that laid the foundation for modern computer communication and the internet. Metcalfe’s contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Turing Award, the highest honor in computer science.
Introduction
Bob Metcalfe, a renowned computer scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur, invented Ethernet in 1973. This local area network technology connected personal computers to the internet and laid the foundation for modern computer communication. His work in Ethernet’s standardization and commercialization was instrumental in the development of the internet. This article will explore Bob Metcalfe’s contributions to computer science and how they shaped the future of technology.
Background
Bob Metcalfe was born in New York in 1946. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1969 and his PhD in computer science from Harvard University in 1973. In the same year, Metcalfe and his research partner invented Ethernet, a local area network technology that connected personal computers to the internet.
The Invention of Ethernet
Ethernet was invented to solve a fundamental problem in computer networking: how to share access to the network among many users. Metcalfe’s solution was to have users adjust their transmission attempts’ average waiting time based on the frequency of collisions. This strategy was similar to the etiquette of conversation at a party: when two people start talking at the same time, they both stop and try again later. The randomness of the waiting time ensured that the problem was resolved after a few attempts.
To avoid emphasizing specific hardware, Metcalfe named his invention “Ethernet,” which was inspired by the 19th-century physicist’s assumption of the propagation medium for electromagnetic waves. By November 1973, Metcalfe and his colleagues had established and run their first network. He continued to develop the design, hoping to extend it beyond Xerox, but executives seemed uninterested in commercializing the new technology. By 1979, Metcalfe had had enough of Xerox’s indifference. He left PARC and founded his own company, 3Com, to do what Xerox would not.
Impact
Bob Metcalfe’s contributions to computer science have been immense. Ethernet has become a standard local area network technology, connecting millions of computers worldwide. Metcalfe’s work in Ethernet’s standardization and commercialization was instrumental in the development of modern computer communication and the internet.
Metcalfe’s vision of the value of networks increasing rapidly with the number of users, now known as “Metcalfe’s Law,” has become a guiding principle in understanding network effects and the development of the internet economy.
Today, as the internet becomes ubiquitous, Metcalfe’s scope of thinking has expanded even further. “The most important new fact about the human condition is that we are suddenly tightly connected,” he said.
Conclusion
Bob Metcalfe’s contributions to computer science, particularly his invention of Ethernet, have been instrumental in the development of modern computer communication and the internet. His vision of the value of networks increasing with the number of users has become a guiding principle in understanding network effects and the internet economy. His impact on the field of computer science is immeasurable, and his work will continue to shape the future of technology.
For more information on Bob Metcalfe’s career and contributions to computer science, see the Turing Award website and 3Com’s website.
