Grand-daddy of the Internet
How do you stop an enemy bomber from dropping bombs on your head? Sounds like a punchline to a bad joke, doesn't it? Not really. In trying to find an answer to that question, the US government in the 1950s created the SAGE program, the precursor of the Internet.
During those days, enemy bombers were viewed as nearly unstoppable. They traveled fast and, by the time they were noticed, it was too late for interceptor aircraft to climb to altitude and engage them. The alternative was to have fighters up in the air at all times, constantly on the lookout for enemy bombers, and this was impossible.
Faced with this dilemma, the US Government created the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) program. SAGE connected a network of radar systems in real time. It tracked air movements quickly and accurately and would form the backbone of the USA's defense against enemy bomber aircraft during the 1950s to 1980s.
Powered by the AN/FSQ-7, the largest computer ever built, SAGE also provided the world with its first glimpse into automated, real-time, online communication. Towards this end, the SAGE program would make great strides under the Information Processing Technology Office, a branch of the Advanced Research Projects Agency or ARPA.
Although the SAGE program was used mainly for defense purposes, it fulfilled another vital role as the grand-daddy of the Internet. SAGE introduced interactive, real-time communications with modems and advanced online systems. It paved the way for what has now become a vital part of over a billion people's lives.
