Interesting article. However I have significant doubts about its accuracy. I purchased my first computer in ~1978 - a Radio Shack Tandy Model I. By 1981 I was

Interesting article. However I have significant doubts about its accuracy. I purchased my first computer in ~1978 - a Radio Shack Tandy Model I. By 1981 I was using my Tandy to connect to CIS - an online network offered to Radio Shack enthusiasts like myself - where I used an automated program to login - grab message headers I was following - log off and write responses - and then use the automated system to send my replies. This was necessary because Compuserve charged by the minute - and it was quite expensive for a young attorney such as myself. I primarily used CIS to correspond with authors of programming books I was studying - usually in the early morning hours (when I should have been sleeping because I had early court appearances!) ... but it was great fun. And, although it was many years ago, I am very confident it was during my compuserve years (1981-1990) that I learned all about ARAPNET and how there was an ongoing effort to design a stable network that included England and our NATO allies that would survive another world war. Reading this article caused me to perform my own search to help jog my memory. I was surprised how difficult it was to find anything about Compuserve; CIS; or references to early 1980s online services. I did, however come across this article that surely seems to refute much of the take of the OP article: https://www.myscience.uk/news/wire/commentary_how_britain_got_its_first_internet_connection-2025-ucl https://www.myscience.uk/news/wire/commentary_how_britain_go... As an aside, I did finally locate a reference to Compuserve/CIS - good ole wikipedia came through again: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CompuServe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CompuServe What an enjoyable time down memory lane this post has been for me!