During the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s people whose names are not household words developed computer networking. How telling is it that I know the name of Charles Manson but not their names? Some of the developers no doubt made good money as engineers, but made very little in comparison to the gifts they brought society. While celebrities of all types during those years may have been famous for a moment, surely true greatness resides with those who serve quietly and make solid contributions. In a way I think those who developed ARPANET, TCP/IP, Ethernet, emailing, and the internet share the fate of many parents who after bringing their children into the world and nurturing them for years, find their fame and wealth focused teens take them for granted and are a little embarrassed by their normalcy.
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