Sputnik and Arpanet
Fifty years ago today, the USSR launched Sputnik, the first artificial earth satellite.
On February 7, 1958 (just a few months later, and arguably directly in response to the launch of Sputnik), the U.S. Department of Defense issued directive 5105.15 establishing the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA).
Four years later, J.C.R. Licklider was chosen to run ARPA computer research. Read The Dream Machine for the rest of the story.
Here’s Vermeer’s Navigator, on view here in Frankfurt at the Städel Museum - a Licklider from a different time:
Clinton Blasts Bush’s War on Science - blog entry from today’s NY Times. It would certainly be a good idea to bring back the Office of Technology Assessment. Here’s an entry from this blog from more than two years ago. OTA: You Are Missed.