Autosave: 2024-11-12 08:09:20

neuron/674ca64c-a00f-4fd4-88ed-0d1856b37688/Batch_processing.md

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+tags: [computer-history]
+created: Tuesday, November 12, 2024
+---
+
+# Batch processing
+
+With modern computer systems programs can be executed continuously and as
+needed. With earlier computers (e.g. mainframes or mini-computers that were
+shared by multiple users throughout an organisation) operating on this basis
+would be expensive and would squander resources. It would also be inefficient
+because computers needed time to warm up and cool down between operations.
+
+Batch processing meant waiting until the required data for the operation met a
+certain volume or threshold and then running the job. This way all the computer
+resources were used at once instead repeatedly over an extended period.
+
+Running operations in batch rather than in real-time also meant you could time
+when you used the computer, running your jobs during off-peak hours when more
+resources would be available. Particularly beneficial during the era of
+time-sharing.

neuron/674ca64c-a00f-4fd4-88ed-0d1856b37688/Usenet.md

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+---
+tags: [networks, internet]
+created: Tuesday, November 12, 2024
+---
+
+# Usenet
+
+A decentralised system of computer servers that allowed users to post messages
+to topic-based discussion groups called "newsgroups" which other users could
+read and reply to.
+
+Arguably the first social network and the oldest internet network that is still
+operational.
+
+It was designed by staff at two separate universities. Both used Unix systems
+and wanted a way to communicate with each other.
+
+## Technology
+
+Usenet comprised a [distributed network](385af4b4_Baran_distributed_networks.md)
+of dedicated servers that exchanged messages over the **Network News Transfer
+Protocol** (NNTP).
+
+A user would post a message to their local news server. The server would assign
+it a UUID and then share it with other peer servers that it was connected to,
+who would also share it, repeating the process. This created a ripple effect
+that would propagate the message over the global network. Because of the
+distributed nature of this network it meant that messages would have a high
+longevity and retention rate and that it was effectively impossible to delete a
+message once posted, since it would be stored across a multitude of servers.
+
+## Relation to the Internet
+
+Usenet developed separately and in parallel with the Internet. Originally it did
+not operate over the Internet: servers would connect to each other over phone
+lines using the Unix-to-Unix Copy Protocol. In the late 1980s when the Internet
+became more widespread and not just limited to DARPA-adjacent universities,
+Usenet transitioned to running over
+[TCP/IP](Transport_Layer_of_Internet_Protocol.md) networks.
+
+## Newsgroup hierarchy
+
+Usenet used a structured, dot-separated naming system for newsgroups that got
+more specific with each subdivision, e.g:
+
+- comp.sys.mac
+- sci.physics.particle
+- alt.music.nirvana
+
+Users would subscribe to the newsgroups that interested them and their
+newsreader (which connected to the servers) would only download messages from
+these groups.
+
+## Influence
+
+- Created the concept of threaded discussion in its reply structured
+- Reddit appropriated the concept of topic-based communities in its sub-reddits
+  and also used threading
+- RSS adopted Usenet's model of subscribing to specific information sources and
+  getting updates: the concept of "pulling" new content from feeds mirrors how
+  newsreaders worked
+- Distributed social networks like Mastodon/ActivityPub use a similar
+  server-to-server propagation model that Usenet pioneered
+- [BitTorrent's](Torrenting.md) distributed file-sharing model has similarities
+  to how binary files were distributed across Usenet servers
+
+## "Eternal September"
+
+For most of its early history Usenet was limited to university students whose
+university was part of the network. Each September new students would join the
+university and this led to an influx of inexperienced Usenet users who didn't
+yet know the etiquette and culture. They would have to be schooled and inducted.
+
+In the mid-1980s Usenet became accessible to the general public as ISPs started
+granting access. In 1993-1994, AOL granted access to subscribers. This changed
+the nature of discussions from primarily academic and technical topics to
+include more general interest and entertainment content, leading to the creation
+of the "alt." hierarchy which allowed anyone to create new newsgroups without
+formal approval processes that were required in the traditional hierarchies.
+Hence it was "always September".
+
+This phrase is often used as a shorthand for the way in which the Internet and
+Web has moved from a niche community of technical users to a demotic public
+space with an attendant decline in perceived value.

neuron/674ca64c-a00f-4fd4-88ed-0d1856b37688/index.md

@@ -13,12 +13,14 @@ computer science.
 
 ![not-by-ai-badge](static/not-by-ai-alternative--light.svg)
  
-**Build ID:** 78bb25d9-ca3c-4cbb-a2c4-e9c73950d1ca
+**Build ID:** 674ca64c-a00f-4fd4-88ed-0d1856b37688
 
-**Published:** Mon 11 Nov 2024 15:47:09
+**Published:** Tue 12 Nov 2024 08:09:18
 
 ### Recent edits 
 
+- [[Usenet]] 
+- [[Batch_processing]] 
 - [[0716531c_rewilding_the_internet]] 
 - [[Using_SQLite_with_Python]] 
 - [[f6564af9_AOL_and_early_internet_enclosure]] 
@@ -29,11 +31,9 @@ computer science.
 - [[The_History_of_Computing_Swade]] 
 - [[Concise_subfield_mapping_JS]] 
 - [[Additive_identity]] 
-- [[MongoDB_connection]] 
-- [[Commutative_Property_of_Addition_and_Multiplication]] 
 
 
-### All notes (488) 
+### All notes (490) 
 
 - [[0716531c_rewilding_the_internet]] 
 - [[241fe1a3_the_Web_versus_modem_BBSs]] 
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ computer science.
 - [[Basic_model_of_the_operating_system]] 
 - [[Basic_properties_of_sets]] 
 - [[Basics_of_web_components]] 
+- [[Batch_processing]] 
 - [[Bell_System]] 
 - [[Biconditional_Elimination]] 
 - [[Biconditional_Introduction]] 
@@ -472,6 +473,7 @@ computer science.
 - [[Update_an_SQL_table]] 
 - [[Update_existing_data_in_SQL_table]] 
 - [[Useful_operators_in_SQL]] 
+- [[Usenet]] 
 - [[User_Space]] 
 - [[User_management_in_Linux]] 
 - [[User_management_on_AWS]] 

zk/Batch_processing.md

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+tags: [computer-history]
+created: Tuesday, November 12, 2024
+---
+
+# Batch processing
+
+With modern computer systems programs can be executed continuously and as
+needed. With earlier computers (e.g. mainframes or mini-computers that were
+shared by multiple users throughout an organisation) operating on this basis
+would be expensive and would squander resources. It would also be inefficient
+because computers needed time to warm up and cool down between operations.
+
+Batch processing meant waiting until the required data for the operation met a
+certain volume or threshold and then running the job. This way all the computer
+resources were used at once instead repeatedly over an extended period.
+
+Running operations in batch rather than in real-time also meant you could time
+when you used the computer, running your jobs during off-peak hours when more
+resources would be available. Particularly beneficial during the era of
+time-sharing.

zk/Usenet.md

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+---
+tags: [networks, internet]
+created: Tuesday, November 12, 2024
+---
+
+# Usenet
+
+A decentralised system of computer servers that allowed users to post messages
+to topic-based discussion groups called "newsgroups" which other users could
+read and reply to.
+
+Arguably the first social network and the oldest internet network that is still
+operational.
+
+It was designed by staff at two separate universities. Both used Unix systems
+and wanted a way to communicate with each other.
+
+## Technology
+
+Usenet comprised a [distributed network](385af4b4_Baran_distributed_networks.md)
+of dedicated servers that exchanged messages over the **Network News Transfer
+Protocol** (NNTP).
+
+A user would post a message to their local news server. The server would assign
+it a UUID and then share it with other peer servers that it was connected to,
+who would also share it, repeating the process. This created a ripple effect
+that would propagate the message over the global network. Because of the
+distributed nature of this network it meant that messages would have a high
+longevity and retention rate and that it was effectively impossible to delete a
+message once posted, since it would be stored across a multitude of servers.
+
+## Relation to the Internet
+
+Usenet developed separately and in parallel with the Internet. Originally it did
+not operate over the Internet: servers would connect to each other over phone
+lines using the Unix-to-Unix Copy Protocol. In the late 1980s when the Internet
+became more widespread and not just limited to DARPA-adjacent universities,
+Usenet transitioned to running over
+[TCP/IP](Transport_Layer_of_Internet_Protocol.md) networks.
+
+## Newsgroup hierarchy
+
+Usenet used a structured, dot-separated naming system for newsgroups that got
+more specific with each subdivision, e.g:
+
+- comp.sys.mac
+- sci.physics.particle
+- alt.music.nirvana
+
+Users would subscribe to the newsgroups that interested them and their
+newsreader (which connected to the servers) would only download messages from
+these groups.
+
+## Influence
+
+- Created the concept of threaded discussion in its reply structured
+- Reddit appropriated the concept of topic-based communities in its sub-reddits
+  and also used threading
+- RSS adopted Usenet's model of subscribing to specific information sources and
+  getting updates: the concept of "pulling" new content from feeds mirrors how
+  newsreaders worked
+- Distributed social networks like Mastodon/ActivityPub use a similar
+  server-to-server propagation model that Usenet pioneered
+- [BitTorrent's](Torrenting.md) distributed file-sharing model has similarities
+  to how binary files were distributed across Usenet servers
+
+## "Eternal September"
+
+For most of its early history Usenet was limited to university students whose
+university was part of the network. Each September new students would join the
+university and this led to an influx of inexperienced Usenet users who didn't
+yet know the etiquette and culture. They would have to be schooled and inducted.
+
+In the mid-1980s Usenet became accessible to the general public as ISPs started
+granting access. In 1993-1994, AOL granted access to subscribers. This changed
+the nature of discussions from primarily academic and technical topics to
+include more general interest and entertainment content, leading to the creation
+of the "alt." hierarchy which allowed anyone to create new newsgroups without
+formal approval processes that were required in the traditional hierarchies.
+Hence it was "always September".
+
+This phrase is often used as a shorthand for the way in which the Internet and
+Web has moved from a niche community of technical users to a demotic public
+space with an attendant decline in perceived value.