IEEE History Center: Paul Baran Abstract

Paul Baran Oral History

Baran received his BS in electrical engineering from the Drexel Institute of Technology (now Drexel University) in 1949.  He worked for the Eckert Mauchly Computer Company on the UNIVAC, 1949-50, Raymond Rosen Engineering Products on magnetic taper error correction and the Cape Canaveral telemetering system, 1950-53, and Hughes Aircraft on radar data processing,1955-59.  He took classes at UCLA, 1955-62, and got an MS in engineering in 1959.  He worked on missile command and control from the laste 1950s.  He went to the RAND Corporation as a researcher, 1959-68, working on defense against a nuclear first strike—particularly, working on communication, how to get messages through after a military strike.  Working on high data rate distributed communications in early 1960s, digital redundant means for military to communicate even after a nuclear first strike ; e.g., packet switching.  He later worked on gun detection, computer privacy, and then helped set up the ARPANET.  He then  went to work for the Institute for the Future, working on quality control.  From 1973 he went to work at Cabledata Associates, recommending divestiture of the ARPANET (though not carried out for a while); working on low cost computer printers, satellite transponders, telephone modems, packet technologies, remote electric metering, automated response to faxes, and ATM-Cable TV combinations. 

1.  Introduction

• The Last 50 Years of Communications.
• Preface Remarks

2.  Starting out.

• Drexel, 1945 - 49
• Eckert-Mauchly, First Commercial Computer, the Univac, 1949 - 50
• Raymond Rosen Engineering Products (RREP), 1950-53.
• Radio Telemetering, 1950 - 53.
• Magnetic Tape Error Correction, 1951.
• Cape Canaveral First Telemetering System, 1952 - 53.
• Experiences as a Field Engineer
• Consulting, 1954 - 55.
• Hughes Aircraft Ground Systems, 1955 - 59.
• Radar Data Processing, 1955 - ~ 57.
• UCLA, 1955 - 62.
• Missile Command and Control, ~1958.

3. Not-for-Profit Period.

• The RAND Corporation, 1959 - 68.
• Cold War Threat, ~ 1959.
• Communications: the Achilles Heel, 1960+.
• Broadcast Station Distributed Teletypewriter Network, 1960.
• High Data Rate Distributed Communications, 1961 - 64.
• Why Digital?  Why Message Blocks?.
• On Parallelism.
• Hot-Potato Routing.
• Basic Concepts Underlying Packet Switching, 1960.
• Dynamic Routing, 1961.
• Basic Properties of Packet Switching, 1960 - 62.
• Economic Payoff Potential Versus Perceived Risks.
• Opposition and Detailed Definition Memoranda, 1961+.
• Broad Open Publication, 1964.
• Receiving the Word.
• Conceptual Gap Between Analog and Digital Thinking.
• AT&T Headquarters Lack of Receptivity.
• On Bell Labs Response.
• The RAND Formal Recommendation to the Air Force, 1965.
• Putting the Program on Ice..
• Some Other Projects at RAND..
• The Doorway Gun Detector, 1964.
• Gun Barrel Marking.
• Computer Privacy.
• 1967- RAND, Redefinition of National Security.
• ARPANET History Sources, 1966+.
• Institute For the Future, 1967+.
• Forecasting Quality Control,1967+.

4. Silicon Valley Period.

• Cabledata Associates: to Create New Technologies and Launch New Companies, 1973+.
• Divestiture of the ARPANET Study, 1974-5.
• Comprint, Inc., Low Cost Computer Printers.
• Equatorial Communications Co., First VSAT Company.
• Telebit, Inc., Highest Speed Telephone Modems for Bad Lines.
• Packet Technologies, Broadband Digital Services to the Home Via TV Cable.
• Packetized Voice.
• Amoco’s Remarkable Intransigence.
• Stratacom, a Leveraged Buyout of the PacketDax.
• Metricom, Remote Electric Power Meter Reading Via Packet Radio.
• Evolution to the Support of Lap Top Computers.
• Interfax, Interactive Facsimile ~1989+.
• Com21, ATM Based Cable TV System 1992+.

5. Some Retrospective Thoughts.

• Relevance of the IEEE Communications Society.
• Future Directions of Communications.
• On the Impact of Communication on Economic Development.
• On International Stability and Peace.
• Why I am an Optimist.