The Oral History Project series includes interviews and panel discussions video recorded during the NSFNET 20th Anniversary event as part of the Internet History Archive's Oral History Project. The John Armstrong Interview features a past NSF Director of Research reminiscing about the beginning stages of the partnership with Merit and IBM and the creation of the NSFNET networking backbone. The "Backbone of the Internet Discussion" reviews the impact of NSFNET's adoption of the T1 backbone. The "External Communities Discussion" examined the perceptions of media reporters and education professionals in regards to networking during the late 1980s. The "Government Involvement Discussion" concerns the relationship between NSFNET and ARPANET, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funded networking project. The "International Perspective Discussion" reflects on NSFNET's international expansion and how such initiatives shaped data sharing between U.S. and foreign scientists. The "Mid-Level Networks Discussion" explores the creation of campus networks and the subsequent development of regional mid-level networks as university supercomputers became interconnected. The "Pre-Commercial Period Discussion" details NSFNET's transition from a university and research focus to the period when services were extended to corporations for commercial use. The "Pre-NSFNET Period Discussion" concerns pre-NSFNET activities such as CSNET, BITNET, and the development of NSF-funded national supercomputer centers between 1980-1987. Finally, the "Technological Challenges Discussion" highlights the obstacles overcome in NSFNET's development, such as a scarcity of networking equipment and the lack of a universal networking language. Project participants for each discussion are noted in the item list.
