Milestone-Proposal talk:ALOHANET (aka ALOHA System): Difference between revisions

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Since ALOHA is an acronym and is used more than once in the citation, it needs to be defined.  The beginning of the second sentence sounds a bit redundant with the second half of the first sentence.
Since ALOHA is an acronym and is used more than once in the citation, it needs to be defined.  The beginning of the second sentence sounds a bit redundant with the second half of the first sentence.
====Re: Re: -- [[User:Dmichelson|Dmichelson]] ([[User talk:Dmichelson|talk]]) 04:23, 2 March 2020 (UTC)====
:: ALOHA is not an acronym. I vaguely recall that someone tried to turn it into one, but it didn’t catch on.


===Re: -- [[User:Vardalas|John Vardalas]] ([[User talk:Vardalas|talk]]) 16:15, 28 February 2020 (UTC)===
===Re: -- [[User:Vardalas|John Vardalas]] ([[User talk:Vardalas|talk]]) 16:15, 28 February 2020 (UTC)===

Revision as of 04:23, 2 March 2020

Advocate's Assessment -- Dmichelson (talk) 08:37, 21 February 2020 (UTC)

There is absolutely no doubt that ALOHANET should be recognized.

The first demonstration that wireless channels could be effectively and efficiently shared using relatively simple random access protocols, ALOHANET contradicted many commonly held assumptions about random access channels. Its significance was immense and immediately recognized. Advanced random access protocols such as CSMA/CD and technologies such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi, etc. were a direct result.

The title and citation needed significant work. I have edited the proposal to reflect this.

It is noteworthy that Robert Metcalfe, inventor of Ethernet, has stepped forward to endorse this proposal.


Statement of Support from Dr. Metcalfe for IEEE Milestone ALOHAnet (aka ALOHA System).

Yes, I support ALOHAnet as an IEEE Milestone.

Professor Norm Abramson’s inventions and analysis of Aloha channels at Hawaii were a fountain of ideas for other network researchers and queuing theorists. At Xerox Parc in 1973 we adopted ALOHAnet’s randomized retransmissions for the first Ethernet’s packet access method, which we called CSMA/CD – carrier sense multiple access with collision detection.

Robert M. Metcalfe, PhD, UTAustin Professor of Innovation, Recipient of the IEEE Medal of Honor, Eminent Member of IEEE HKN


In future, we should make clear to proposers that they are not competing for an award. Instead, we are trying to capture a moment in time when something important happened that had important downstream effects.

ALOHANET citation -- Amy Bix (talk) 18:00, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

Great project! But again, I wonder about ways to make the citation more meaningful to the general public (also, the part about "contradicted many then commonly held assumptions about random access channels" seems vague and doesn't mean much out of context). I think we're also missing a date. How about something like the following:

ALOHAnet, the world's first packet radio network, created affordable computer connections across Hawaii's islands in 1971. ALOHAnet employed innovative random access protocols, proving their efficiency for large-scale sharing of communications channels. ALOHA techniques opened the field of packet broadcasting and pioneered network engineering. ALOHAnet attracted military and civilian interest, advancing development of modern mobile, wireless, satellite, and Internet systems. (59 words)

As always, please check for accuracy..... Amy

Re: ALOHANET citation -- Ebruton (talk) 13:41, 26 February 2020 (UTC)

I think Amy's version of the text is a good one. Yes, the date is in the headline but I think it is worth repeating in the text. I also think elaborating on what is meant by personal wireless communications *plus* the civilian and military use make the text more accessible to the general public.

Ebruton (talk) 13:41, 26 February 2020 (UTC)

-- Dmichelson (talk) 19:21, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

Many thanks for your comments!

1. The date is in the title. In the past, that has been considered sufficient.

2. This is an IEEE Milestone so the citation wording needs to be ring true on both the expert and general levels. I’ve edited the last sentence of the citation to read

The ALOHA packet radio data network provided the first demonstration that communications channels could be effectively and efficiently shared on a large scale using relatively simple random access protocols. ALOHA showed that random access techniques could be far more efficient than had been previously assumed and led directly to the development of Ethernet and many of the personal wireless communications technologies in common use today.

Re: -- Jason.k.hui (talk) 17:13, 27 February 2020 (UTC)

Since ALOHA is an acronym and is used more than once in the citation, it needs to be defined. The beginning of the second sentence sounds a bit redundant with the second half of the first sentence.

Re: Re: -- Dmichelson (talk) 04:23, 2 March 2020 (UTC)

ALOHA is not an acronym. I vaguely recall that someone tried to turn it into one, but it didn’t catch on.

Re: -- John Vardalas (talk) 16:15, 28 February 2020 (UTC)

Aloha does indeed deserve a Milestone. The proposal is well written and referenced. I am divided between Dave's and Amy's versions. I also believe that, whenever possible, the citation should confer a sense of place to the reader. The plaque's location should set up a strong connection between the achievement and the place were he or she is standing and reading the plaque. Geography is important. The citation makes not reference that it all took place at to the University of Hawaii. Geography should always be important in the Milestones, but in this case it is vital. Innovation arose to solve a geographic problem: creating cheaper data communications linkages between campuses dispersed over several islands. This solution proved scalable to the world's geography.I would like to see the citation include some mention that this achievement took place at the University of Hawaii.

I humbly suggest the following hybrid citation for the proposers' consideration

"The ALOHA packet radio data network provided the first demonstration that communications channels could be effectively and efficiently shared on a large scale using relatively simple random access protocols. These techniques, which proved to be far more efficient than had previously been assumed, gave rise to Ethernet and the internet. ALOHA, developed first to link the campuses of the University of Hawaii, opened the door to the planet being connected." (70 words)

2nd expert review -- Dmichelson (talk) 02:45, 25 February 2020 (UTC)

Hi Dave,

I support the recognition of the ALOHA project as an IEEE Milestone in Electrical Engineering and Computing.

Since its introduction as a means for efficiently sharing a communication link, the ALOHA protocol and its many variants have inspired researchers and practitioners alike. Fifty years on, the prevalence of the ALOHA concept in current generation communication networks is truly remarkable.

Best regards,

Prof. Cyril Leung

University of British Columbia

Dept of Electrical & Computer Engineering

cleung@ece.ubc.ca

ALOHAnet citation -- Savini (talk) 19:00, 1 March 2020 (UTC)

I have no doubt about the importance of the proposal. As concerns the citation, I am in favour of Amy's version. Additionally I would prefer that the technical meaning of te acronym ALOHA is explained.

Antonio S.

=Re: ALOHAnet citation -- Dmichelson (talk) 04:21, 2 March 2020 (UTC)

ALOHA is not an acronym. I vaguely recall that someone tried to turn it into one, but it didn’t catch on.