21 hours ago
- Version 4.2 of the Berkeley Standard Distribution (BSD) UNIX, released in 1983, introduced the BSD sockets networking model, marking a pivotal moment for online services.
- The initial distribution was on tape via mail, reflecting the era's limited network infrastructure, which relied on slow dial-up connections and lacked common protocols.
- Sockets reused the UNIX file descriptor abstraction, making network access simple and consistent, and enabling rapid development of tools like FTP, Telnet, and SMTP.
- Despite initial bugs and limited ARPANET access, sockets became the standard over AT&T's STREAMS, driven by legal disputes and early adoption by companies like Sun Microsystems.
- Sockets ultimately led to the widespread adoption of TCP/IP and UDP, becoming the foundation for modern network programming, with even newer protocols like QUIC relying on them.