This part of the AGB2009 series (see the presentation)
AGB2009: chain reaction
BACKGROUND
Did you ever notice how small innovations could generate unintended consequences?
ABSTRACT
The Internet is based on a main technology: the “router”, a piece of hardware that takes whatever you send on the Internet, split it in small “packets”, then everything is re-assembled at the final destination.
A recent article showed how one of the pioneers behind the original routers evolved the system. But, unintentionally or not, created a potentially contentious innovation.