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<table><tbody><tr><td>Internet history timeline</td></tr><tr><td><p><i>Early research and development:</i></p><ul><li>1960–1962: <a href="/facts/J._C._R._Licklider/QaL9FHPp">J. C. R. Licklider</a> networking ideas</li><li>1960–1964: <a href="/facts/RAND/I0Y9Q7bU">RAND</a> networking concepts developed</li><li>1962–1964: <a href="/facts/DARPA/Uf9sarhT">ARPA</a> networking ideas</li><li>1965 (1965): <a href="/facts/NPL_network/JWc0pxUu">NPL network</a> concepts conceived</li><li>1966 (1966): <a href="/facts/Merit_Network/1qL7oxsn">Merit Network</a> founded</li><li>1967 (1967): <a href="/facts/ARPANET/LyMGWurJ">ARPANET</a> planning begins</li><li>1967 (1967): <a href="/facts/Symposium_on_Operating_Systems_Principles/VhguUHDg">Symposium on Operating Systems Principles</a></li><li>1969 (1969): NPL followed by the ARPANET carry their first packets</li><li>1970 (1970): <a href="/facts/InterNIC/s7DoYDR1">Network Information Center</a> (NIC)</li><li>1971 (1971): <a href="/facts/Tymnet/wFM59Gtb">Tymnet</a> switched-circuit network</li><li>1972 (1972): Merit Network's packet-switched network operational</li><li>1972 (1972): <a href="/facts/Internet_Assigned_Numbers_Authority/b6MlP6zQ">Internet Assigned Numbers Authority</a> (IANA) established</li><li>1973 (1973): <a href="/facts/CYCLADES/gmfV8jh9">CYCLADES</a> network demonstrated</li><li>1973 (1973): <a href="/facts/PARC_Universal_Packet/ub0fExbh">PARC Universal Packet</a> development begins</li><li>1974 (1974): <a href="/facts/Transmission_Control_Program/Qq6VeEal">Transmission Control Program</a> specification published</li><li>1975 (1975): <a href="/facts/Telenet/VCgNaKux">Telenet</a> commercial packet-switched network</li><li>1976 (1976): <a href="/facts/X.25/yaGPqw2Y">X.25</a> protocol approved and deployed on <a href="/facts/Public_data_network/sMYs1t3f">public data networks</a></li><li>1978 (1978): <a href="/facts/Minitel/bTmoGeyh">Minitel</a> introduced</li><li>1979 (1979): <a href="/facts/Internet_Architecture_Board/JV2M6FNP">Internet Activities Board</a> (IAB)</li><li>1980 (1980): <a href="/facts/Usenet/lYJWFBR6">USENET</a> news using <a href="/facts/UUCP/dQ055F7b">UUCP</a></li><li>1980 (1980): <a href="/facts/Ethernet/nMfhU8tU">Ethernet</a> standard introduced</li><li>1981 (1981): <a href="/facts/BITNET/oVg6qRYp">BITNET</a> established</li></ul><p><i>Merging the networks and creating the Internet:</i></p><ul><li>1981 (1981): <a href="/facts/CSNET/alJ5aBQq">Computer Science Network</a> (CSNET)</li><li>1982 (1982): <a href="/facts/Internet_protocol_suite/KNkxtSpw">TCP/IP</a> protocol suite formalized</li><li>1982 (1982): <a href="/facts/Simple_Mail_Transfer_Protocol/TeCRKDpJ">Simple Mail Transfer Protocol</a> (SMTP)</li><li>1983 (1983): <a href="/facts/Domain_Name_System/rfxdWFsj">Domain Name System</a> (DNS)</li><li>1983 (1983): <a href="/facts/MILNET/GGE4YIjI">MILNET</a> split off from ARPANET</li><li>1984 (1984): <a href="/facts/OSI_model/oxN9Xhjz">OSI Reference Model</a> released</li><li>1985 (1985): <a href="/facts/Domain_names/FDLD2m5G">First .COM domain name registered</a></li><li>1986 (1986): <a href="/facts/National_Science_Foundation_Network/b95QF5hR">NSFNET</a> with 56 kbit/s links</li><li>1986 (1986): <a href="/facts/Internet_Engineering_Task_Force/tIcCsFhX">Internet Engineering Task Force</a> (IETF)</li><li>1987 (1987): <a href="/facts/UUNET/ExCXPTcE">UUNET</a> founded</li><li>1988 (1988): <a href="/facts/National_Science_Foundation_Network/b95QF5hR">NSFNET</a> upgraded to 1.5 Mbit/s (T1)</li><li>1988 (1988): <a href="/facts/Morris_worm/moqgLa5t">Morris worm</a></li><li>1988 (1988): Complete <a href="/facts/Internet_protocol_suite/KNkxtSpw">Internet protocol suite</a></li><li>1989 (1989): <a href="/facts/Border_Gateway_Protocol/XfYgBzW3">Border Gateway Protocol</a> (BGP)</li><li>1989 (1989): <a href="/facts/PSINet/kp4KMV4Y">PSINet</a> founded, allows commercial traffic</li><li>1989 (1989): <a href="/facts/Federal_Internet_Exchange/yWKJnNXR">Federal Internet Exchanges (FIX East|FIXes)</a></li><li>1990 (1990): <a href="/facts/Government_Open_Systems_Interconnection_Profile/apFGyLp7">GOSIP</a> (without <a href="/facts/Internet_protocol_suite/KNkxtSpw">TCP/IP</a>)</li><li>1990 (1990): ARPANET decommissioned</li><li>1990 (1990): <a href="/facts/Advanced_Network_and_Services/2hyQa3uF">Advanced Network and Services</a> (ANS)</li><li>1990 (1990): <a href="/facts/UUNET/ExCXPTcE">UUNET/Alternet</a> allows commercial traffic</li><li>1990 (1990): <a href="/facts/Archie_(search_engine)/8EjLUsfL">Archie search engine</a></li><li>1991 (1991): <a href="/facts/Wide_area_information_server/eEaUzhJk">Wide area information server</a> (WAIS)</li><li>1991 (1991): <a href="/facts/Gopher_(protocol)/G2bpDRQJ">Gopher</a></li><li>1991 (1991): <a href="/facts/Commercial_Internet_eXchange/q3lVr6B7">Commercial Internet eXchange</a> (CIX)</li><li>1991 (1991): <a href="/facts/Advanced_Network_and_Services/2hyQa3uF">ANS CO+RE</a> allows commercial traffic</li><li>1991 (1991): <a href="/facts/World_Wide_Web/wvnTrWFq">World Wide Web</a> (WWW)</li><li>1992 (1992): <a href="/facts/National_Science_Foundation_Network/b95QF5hR">NSFNET</a> upgraded to 45 Mbit/s (T3)</li><li>1992 (1992): <a href="/facts/Internet_Society/scIaot5x">Internet Society</a> (ISOC) established</li><li>1993 (1993): <a href="/facts/Classless_Inter-Domain_Routing/YU0SEmfp">Classless Inter-Domain Routing</a> (CIDR)</li><li>1993 (1993): <a href="/facts/InterNIC/s7DoYDR1">InterNIC</a> established</li><li>1993 (1993): <a href="/facts/AOL/MAbT38QS">AOL</a> added <a href="/facts/Usenet/lYJWFBR6">USENET</a> access</li><li>1993 (1993): <a href="/facts/NCSA_Mosaic/qrA52r1E">Mosaic web browser</a> released</li><li>1994 (1994): <a href="/facts/Search_engine/SRntsbz2">Full text web search engines</a></li><li>1994 (1994): <a href="/facts/North_American_Network_Operators%2527_Group/kMJqx1uf">North American Network Operators' Group</a> (NANOG) established</li></ul><p><i>Commercialization, privatization, broader access leads to the modern Internet:</i></p><ul><li>1995 (1995): New Internet architecture with commercial <a href="/facts/Internet_service_provider/dUacAxef">ISPs</a> connected at <a href="/facts/Network_Access_Point/mFKWfkMc">NAPs</a></li><li>1995 (1995): <a href="/facts/National_Science_Foundation_Network/b95QF5hR">NSFNET</a> decommissioned</li><li>1995 (1995): <a href="/facts/GOSIP/apFGyLp7">GOSIP</a> updated to allow <a href="/facts/Internet_protocol_suite/KNkxtSpw">TCP/IP</a></li><li>1995 (1995): <a href="/facts/Very_high-speed_Backbone_Network_Service/t2tXNNJF">very high-speed Backbone Network Service (vBNS)</a></li><li>1995 (1995): <a href="/facts/IPv6/d4dg7kIL">IPv6</a> proposed</li><li>1996 (1996): <a href="/facts/AOL/MAbT38QS">AOL</a> changes pricing model from hourly to monthly</li><li>1998 (1998): <a href="/facts/ICANN/2EHgcUU1">Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)</a></li><li>1999 (1999): <a href="/facts/IEEE_802.11/ryEGu6Vq">IEEE 802.11b</a> wireless networking</li><li>1999 (1999): <a href="/facts/Internet2/APYDGudp">Internet2</a>/<a href="/facts/Abilene_Network/njAvcCxy">Abilene Network</a></li><li>1999 (1999): <a href="/facts/VBNS/t2tXNNJF">vBNS+</a> allows broader access</li><li>2000 (2000): <a href="/facts/Dot-com_bubble/dCFWQt0s">Dot-com bubble</a> bursts</li><li>2001 (2001): New top-level domain names activated</li><li>2001 (2001): <a href="/facts/Code_Red_(computer_worm)/FIpF7P8R">Code Red I</a>, <a href="/facts/Code_Red_II/JaIzccPA">Code Red II</a>, and <a href="/facts/Nimda/0JhyJeHK">Nimda</a> worms</li><li>2003 (2003): <a href="/facts/World_Summit_on_the_Information_Society/YB1uwGD0">UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) phase I</a></li></ul><ul><li>2003 (2003): <a href="/facts/National_LambdaRail/CEYEVmcT">National LambdaRail</a> founded</li><li>2004 (2004): <a href="/facts/Working_Group_on_Internet_Governance/nSkgQ5Yv">UN Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG)</a></li><li>2005 (2005): <a href="/facts/World_Summit_on_the_Information_Society/YB1uwGD0">UN WSIS phase II</a></li><li>2006 (2006): <a href="/facts/Internet_Governance_Forum/CV6emQNr">First meeting of the Internet Governance Forum</a></li><li>2010 (2010): First internationalized country code top-level domains registered</li><li>2012 (2012): <a href="/facts/Generic_top-level_domain/X0sNABPE">ICANN begins accepting applications for new generic top-level domain names</a></li><li>2013 (2013): <a href="/facts/Montevideo_Statement_on_the_Future_of_Internet_Cooperation/1AGRS70j">Montevideo Statement on the Future of Internet Cooperation</a></li><li>2014 (2014): <a href="/facts/NetMundial_Initiative/xQdRq2r5">NetMundial international Internet governance proposal</a></li><li>2016 (2016): <a href="/facts/ICANN/2EHgcUU1">ICANN</a> contract with U.S. Dept. of Commerce ends, <a href="/facts/Internet_Assigned_Numbers_Authority/b6MlP6zQ">IANA</a> oversight passes to the global Internet community on October 1st</li></ul><p><i>Examples of Internet services:</i></p><ul><li>1989 (1989): <a href="/facts/AOL/MAbT38QS">AOL</a> dial-up service provider, email, instant messaging, and web browser</li><li>1990 (1990): <a href="/facts/IMDb/uWrqVYVy">IMDb</a> Internet movie database</li><li>1994 (1994): <a href="/facts/Yahoo/nKhTaV3M">Yahoo!</a> web directory</li><li>1995 (1995): <a href="/facts/Amazon_(company)/YzUTUVE8">Amazon</a> online retailer</li><li>1995 (1995): <a href="/facts/EBay/bDswVAKB">eBay</a> online auction and shopping</li><li>1995 (1995): <a href="/facts/Craigslist/sru3Dv3W">Craigslist</a> classified advertisements</li><li>1995 (1995): <a href="/facts/AltaVista/X0C5ts5p">AltaVista</a> search engine</li><li>1996 (1996): <a href="/facts/Outlook.com/I4sund79">Outlook (formerly Hotmail)</a> free web-based e-mail</li><li>1996 (1996): <a href="/facts/Baidu/VgAx7Pfu">RankDex</a> search engine</li><li>1997 (1997): <a href="/facts/Google_Search/LFnCogKt">Google Search</a></li><li>1997 (1997): <a href="/facts/Babel_Fish_(website)/g8d8G0nN">Babel Fish</a> automatic translation</li><li>1998 (1998): <a href="/facts/Yahoo_Groups/Xe4MwHFk">Yahoo Groups (formerly Yahoo! Clubs)</a></li><li>1998 (1998): <a href="/facts/PayPal/tlShukIa">PayPal</a> Internet payment system</li><li>1998 (1998): <a href="/facts/Rotten_Tomatoes/rLs7ktSY">Rotten Tomatoes</a> review aggregator</li><li>1999 (1999): <a href="/facts/2channel/9fKR8y13">2ch</a> Anonymous textboard</li><li>1999 (1999): <a href="/facts/I-mode/pLNzMYkP">i-mode</a> mobile internet service</li><li>1999 (1999): <a href="/facts/Napster/49fjWRT7">Napster</a> peer-to-peer file sharing</li><li>2000 (2000): <a href="/facts/Baidu/VgAx7Pfu">Baidu</a> search engine</li><li>2001 (2001): <a href="/facts/Futaba_Channel/szefe1jK">2chan</a> Anonymous imageboard</li><li>2001 (2001): <a href="/facts/BitTorrent/HP9ChWWW">BitTorrent</a> peer-to-peer file sharing</li><li>2001 (2001): <a href="/facts/Wikipedia/La2xLBFt">Wikipedia</a>, the free encyclopedia</li><li>2003 (2003): <a href="/facts/LinkedIn/Iq2IcNMt">LinkedIn</a> business networking</li><li>2003 (2003): <a href="/facts/Myspace/dES860Ro">Myspace</a> social networking site</li><li>2003 (2003): <a href="/facts/Skype/qdKbuh23">Skype</a> Internet voice calls</li><li>2003 (2003): <a href="/facts/ITunes_Store/c3XFlT3q">iTunes Store</a></li><li>2003 (2003): <a href="/facts/4chan/eSLuYvUN">4chan</a> Anonymous imageboard</li><li>2003 (2003): <a href="/facts/The_Pirate_Bay/V8jQU7eP">The Pirate Bay</a>, <a href="/facts/Torrent_file/j0SwIJrW">torrent file</a> host</li><li>2004 (2004): <a href="/facts/Facebook/0IhXFR6u">Facebook</a> social networking site</li><li>2004 (2004): <a href="/facts/Podcast/arkeh0YV">Podcast</a> media file series</li><li>2004 (2004): <a href="/facts/Flickr/BvB6ubLr">Flickr</a> image hosting</li><li>2005 (2005): <a href="/facts/YouTube/db276jst">YouTube</a> video sharing</li><li>2005 (2005): <a href="/facts/Reddit/PAJjm63I">Reddit</a> link voting</li><li>2005 (2005): <a href="/facts/Google_Earth/jjJmIjmb">Google Earth</a> virtual globe</li><li>2006 (2006): <a href="/facts/Twitter/VWwDNGUm">Twitter</a> microblogging</li><li>2007 (2007): <a href="/facts/WikiLeaks/rm4lC2cD">WikiLeaks</a> anonymous news and information leaks</li><li>2007 (2007): <a href="/facts/Google_Street_View/Ruqzal5A">Google Street View</a></li><li>2007 (2007): <a href="/facts/Amazon_Kindle/cmCbmvEs">Kindle</a>, <a href="/facts/E-reader/D7a76tKm">e-reader</a> and virtual bookshop</li><li>2008 (2008): <a href="/facts/Amazon_Elastic_Compute_Cloud/2EMwnvlS">Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud</a> (EC2)</li><li>2008 (2008): <a href="/facts/Dropbox/7D2Rhh32">Dropbox</a> cloud-based file hosting</li><li>2008 (2008): <a href="/facts/Encyclopedia_of_Life/E5Fz0Wrd">Encyclopedia of Life</a>, a collaborative encyclopedia intended to document all living species</li><li>2008 (2008): <a href="/facts/Spotify/wsTSvDD8">Spotify</a>, a <a href="/facts/Digital_rights_management/4AF8JmDt">DRM-based</a> music streaming service</li><li>2009 (2009): <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Bing/r2pIK5HT">Bing</a> search engine</li><li>2009 (2009): <a href="/facts/Google_Docs/y2RYkhAQ">Google Docs</a>, Web-based word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, form, and data storage service</li><li>2009 (2009): <a href="/facts/Kickstarter/J1R5A3f6">Kickstarter</a>, a <a href="/facts/Threshold_pledge_system/n2CoQ8ET">threshold pledge system</a></li><li>2009 (2009): <a href="/facts/Bitcoin/UJvqfray">Bitcoin</a>, a <a href="/facts/Digital_currency/ycholMaA">digital currency</a></li><li>2010 (2010): <a href="/facts/Instagram/33s91jnV">Instagram</a>, <a href="/facts/Photo_sharing/pyJS36yM">photo sharing</a> and <a href="/facts/Social_networking/qFIh6VT1">social networking</a></li><li>2011 (2011): <a href="/facts/Google%252B/YpruHrEK">Google+</a>, <a href="/facts/Social_networking/qFIh6VT1">social networking</a></li><li>2011 (2011): <a href="/facts/Snapchat/oIQ9tBh8">Snapchat</a>, <a href="/facts/Photo_sharing/pyJS36yM">photo sharing</a></li><li>2012 (2012): <a href="/facts/Coursera/5Kp5AIuX">Coursera</a>, massive open online courses</li><li>2016 (2016): <a href="/facts/TikTok/LC3FaCbX">TikTok</a>, <a href="/facts/Video_sharing/tNBgCRKy">video sharing</a> and <a href="/facts/Social_networking/qFIh6VT1">social networking</a></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>A top-level domain (TLD) is one of the <a href="/facts/Domain_name/FDLD2m5G">domains</a> at the highest level in the hierarchical <a href="/facts/Domain_Name_System/rfxdWFsj">Domain Name System</a> of the <a href="/facts/Internet/Xw1rVvJU">Internet</a> after the root domain. The top-level domain names are installed in the <a href="/facts/DNS_root_zone/pVhV8cWh">root zone</a> of the name space. For all domains in lower levels, it is the last part of the <a href="/facts/Domain_name/FDLD2m5G">domain name</a>, that is, the last non-empty label of a <a href="/facts/Fully_qualified_domain_name/UgFMPQWD">fully qualified domain name</a>. For example, in the domain name <a href="/facts/Example.com/tDHIlo7o">www.example.com</a>, the top-level domain is <a href="/facts/.com/3SXSyIxa">.com</a>. Responsibility for management of most top-level domains is delegated to specific organizations by the <a href="/facts/ICANN/2EHgcUU1">ICANN</a>, an Internet multi-stakeholder community, which operates the <a href="/facts/Internet_Assigned_Numbers_Authority/b6MlP6zQ">Internet Assigned Numbers Authority</a> (IANA), and is in charge of maintaining the <a href="/facts/DNS_root_zone/pVhV8cWh">DNS root zone</a>. </p>