Modern Marvels: The Internet--Behind the Web

Leave it to the History Channel to present one of the best layperson's explanations of how data packets move across a network I've ever heard. And that's just the beginning. Jammed with compelling recollections and explanations from Internet pioneers, this video reminds viewers that our Infobahn's roots actually go back to the '50s, when computers were the size of rooms and interconnecting them in some fashion was only an interesting theory (and, if left to the shortsightedness of the computing giants of the day, it would have stayed that way). Fortunately, the combination of an academic environment of open architecture and truly collaborative teamwork helped lay the foundational bricks of the network that would grow to become the most influential and powerful technology of our time. Mercifully bypassing today's silly marketing hype (believe me, these days it's not just Al Gore claiming to have created the Internet), this excellent program provides the straight historical skinny on the birth and rise of the Internet. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (C. Block)