Sunday, March 15, 2009

Computer Data Communication.

Since early times effort was put to ensure transmission of data. We all know that the first successful demonstration was by Samuel Morse. He invented the telegraph, and the Morse Code. It was the first time data was transmitted using electric power. This was 1844 when Morse did the first transmission from Washington DC to Baltimore (around 60 Kms).

But all successful models are based on earlier models that were proposed but somehow were not viable. In 1753 there was a proposal printed in a Scottish Magazine. The idea was to have 26 wires (one for each alphabet) run from town to town. A prototype was built. But somehow it never proved to be economical or more clearly, a business model could not be developed.

Scotland has been the land of so many firsts. We have Scots who have had numerous achievements like

- Adam Smith, "Wealth of Nations" was a Scot.

- Sir Arthur Conan Dyle, "Sherlock Holmes"

- Robert Louis Stevenson, "Treasure Island"

and now Sir Alex Ferguson of "Manchester United" are just a few names on the top of my head.

So moral of the story is IT Data Communication is not a 30-40 year thing. The ideas have been coming since 400 years.

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