The Network is the Computer
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer technology |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Vinod Khosla, Andy Bechtolsheim, Scott McNealy, Bill Joy |
| Fate | Acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2010 |
Key people | John Gage (noted for slogan) |
| Products | Computer hardware, software, and information technology services |
| Website | www |
“The Network is the Computer” is a slogan introduced by John Gage for Sun Microsystems in 1984. Despite common misconceptions, this phrase was not coined by Scott McNealy. Wired characterized it as a "truism of Silicon Valley".
Larry Wake, an employee at Sun, remarked that when the slogan debuted, it was bold and emphasized the necessity of networking computers to unlock their full capabilities.
History
Initially, Sun Microsystems used the tagline "Open Systems for Open Minds," but "The Network is the Computer" eventually became its signature motto. This slogan embodied the idea of leveraging shared computing resources via desktop access and distributing workloads across a network. Following Oracle's takeover of Sun in 2010, the phrase fell out of active use and promotion. In July 2019, Cloudflare, a content delivery network company, acquired the rights to the now-expired trademark. John Gage, a prominent figure at Sun, welcomed Cloudflare’s acquisition as recognition of Sun’s enduring legacy.
See also
Further reading
External links
- "The Network is the Computer" in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) records