7 Dec
2011
7 Dec
'11
6:29 a.m.
On 7 Dec 2011, at 13:39, Jules Richardson <jules.richardson99 at gmail.com> wrote:
Of course my guess is that the OP wanted a
general-purpose computer running a non-specialised OS which came with its own TCP/IP stack
built-in rather than as an add-on (and possibly with a suite of programs to actually make
use of Internet connectivity), but "firsts" discussions always end up with a
bunch of diverse answers! :-)
If you insist on a general purpose machine with a built-in TCP/IP stack then you
aren't looking at a true representation in my mind. I had been using the Internet for
2 years (on Windows 3.1) before we got a computer with a TCP/IP stack built into the OS
(Windows 95) and we couldn't move our Internet machine to Win 95 until we got a
working PPP/SLIP script for it.
The Amiga never did get one until OS 4.0 which came out in 2005 ish (and doesn't run
on anything I'd call an Amiga unless you use the Classic PPC version). I still have
to use Miami Dx on 3.1 and 3.9. Amigas have been on the net since the year dot.
Hell, OpenVMS never has had a built-in TCP/IP stack, it's always been an optional
add-on (although in 8.3 it's offered in the main install).
Those are 3 examples I can think of, I'm sure there are more.
My definition would be:
- General Purpose computer
- User interactive Console
- A program or program's capable of utilising an Internet-based service be that
Gopher, FTP, UseNet or WWW or anything similar.
- A TCP/ IP stack of some type connected by some means, be that a modem and PPP or SLIP or
howsoever.
--
Mark Benson
http://markbenson.org/blog
http://twitter.com/MDBenson