IP: Repeat of WashPost article on Gore -- Some folks have had problems accessing their web site so here is the whole thing

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

      Gore Deserves Internet Credit, Some Say
      Online Experts Call Vice President's Efforts 'Instrumental' to Current 
      System

      By John Schwartz
      Washington Post Staff Writer
      Sunday, March 21, 1999; Page A04 

      So -- did he do it?
      Did Al Gore create the Internet?

      The vice president's recent comment that he "took the initiative in 
      creating the Internet" opened Gore up for wide derision, because the 
      global computer network had its beginnings more than 25 years ago.
      Former vice president Dan Quayle (R) scoffed to a reporter that "if Gore 
      invented the Internet, I invented spell-check." Senate Majority Leader 
      Trent Lott (R-Miss.) countered that he had invented the paper clip. 
      Despite the partisan mirth, many of the researchers and venerated 
      propeller-heads who did have a hand in the Internet's creation said Gore 
      deserves substantial credit for passing a number of bills that boosted 
      supercomputing and high-speed communications networks, which in turn 
      helped create the Internet as it exists today.

      David J. Farber, a professor of computer science at the University of 
      Pennsylvania and one of the early players in the Internet, said that along 
      with the importance of his legislative initiatives, Gore popularized the 
      emerging medium worldwide. Gore aligned himself with high tech long before 
      every lawmaker boasted of his or her personal Web site. He helped 
      popularize the term "information superhighway," drawing on the symbolism 
      of his father's hand in creating the interstate highway system.

      Vinton G. Cerf, a senior vice president at MCI Worldcom and the person 
      most often called "the father of the Internet" for his part in designing 
      the network's common computer language, said in an e-mail interview 
      yesterday, "I think it is very fair to say that the Internet would not be 
      where it is in the United States without the strong support given to it 
      and related research areas by the vice president in his current role and 
      in his earlier role as senator."

      The co-author of a history of the online world, "Where Wizards Stay Up 
      Late: The Origins of the Internet," agreed. Katie Hafner said people have 
      been haggling over the true beginnings of the network for decades. "As we 
      all know, there are many paternity claims on the Internet. That's a given, 
      because it's so successful. But there are so many people who did at least 
      one pivotal thing in either creating the network, or encouraging the use 
      of the network, or bringing the network to the public -- and Gore was one 
      of those people."

      "The guy used an inappropriate word," Farber said. "If he had said he was 
      instrumental in the development of what it is now, he'd be accurate." 

      © Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company