Thirty years after the publication of the first paper about the Net, its applications are proliferating faster than ever
This has been a special year and September a memorable month for MCI senior vice-president Vinton Cerf and many others around the world who closely follow the internet. Outside his day job, Mr Cerf is widely known as one of the founding fathers of the internet.
But he stressed that the development of this worldwide network of networks is a continuing challenge, one that is attracting the participation of many more scientists, researchers and experts than ever before.
In 1973, Mr Cerf and research colleague Robert Kahn designed the architecture and key communications technologies, TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/internet protocol), behind the internet.
This year marked the 30th anniversary of the publication of the first paper on the internet - 'A protocol for packet network intercommunication' - co-written by Mr Cerf and Mr Kahn.
It was published in the May 1974 issue of Transactions on Communications by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a non-profit group that develops standards for the computer and electronics industries.