The Internet Society, an international organization that promotes open dialogue on Internet policy, technology, and future development among users, companies, governments, and other organizations, recently announced its inaugural Internet Hall of Fame.
Among the inductees is Danny Cohen, who developed the first real-time visual flight simulator on a general-purpose computer and the first real-time radar simulator. Cohen also was the first to implement "packet-video" and "packet voice" (Network Voice Protocol)—demonstrating the first application of packet switching to real-time applications—when he adapted the visual flight simulator to run over the ARPAnet.
Other inductees include:
Pioneers Circle
Recognizing individuals who were instrumental in the early design and development of the Internet: Paul Baran, Vint Cerf, Danny Cohen, Steve Crocker, Donald Davies, Elizabeth Feinler, Charles Herzfeld, Robert Kahn, Peter Kirstein, Leonard Kleinrock, John Klensin, Jon Postel, Louis Pouzin, and Lawrence Roberts.
Innovators
Recognizing individuals who made outstanding technological, commercial, or policy advances and helped to expand the Internet’s reach: Mitchell Baker, Tim Berners-Lee, Robert Cailliau, Van Jacobson, Lawrence Landweber, Paul Mockapetris, Craig Newmark, Raymond Tomlinson, Linus Torvalds, and Philip Zimmermann.
Global Connectors
Recognizing individuals from around the world who have made significant contributions to the global growth and use of the Internet: Randy Bush, Kilnam Chon, Al Gore, Nancy Hafkin, Geoff Huston, Brewster Kahle, Daniel Karrenberg, Toru Takahashi, and Tan Tin Wee.
Commenting on the 2012 Internet Hall of Fame inductees, Internet Society president and CEO Lynn St. Amour stated, “This historic assembly of Internet visionaries, innovators, and leaders represents an extraordinary breadth of vision and work. While the inductees have extremely diverse backgrounds and represent many different countries, each individual has an incredible passion for their work. We all benefit from their outstanding contributions to a global Internet, making it one of the greatest catalysts of economic and societal development of all time.”
In conjunction with the announcement, the Internet Society has launched a website at www.internethalloffame.org that will showcase the inductees and their contributions on an ongoing basis. The website, which includes inductee photographs and biographies, will feature an ongoing, exclusive column series authored by Wired. Highlighting multiple inductees each month in Q&A interviews, the first interview will feature Internet Hall of Fame Pioneer Vint Cerf.
