Gordon Bell calls for a US research network

The author argues that existing US computer networks not only lag well behind the growing needs of the research community, but also are too fragmented to develop unaided into a single, coherent nationwide system. He examines the roots of the situation, as well as the developments triggered by the rise in computing speed. He explains why a research network is unlikely to evolve spontaneously from existing and anticipated communication systems and calls for a national research network organized and maintained by the federal government.<>