THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION NETWORK

The development of a new technology occurs in several phases. First is the replacement of traditional manual functions with automated ones. Next, people see the potential of using the technology, and new uses and ways of doing things are devised. Finally, society itself changes as a result of that technology. These societal changes are occurring with the development of networks on a local, regional, national, and international scale. The purpose of this paper is to trace the development of national networks, describe their current condition, and discuss the future implications of and obstacles to the accomplishment of the vision.