From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!vortex!lauren
Newsgroups: net.followup
Title: Arpanet
Article-I.D.: vortex.18
Posted: Tue Feb  8 22:18:22 1983
Received: Fri Feb 11 08:47:04 1983

Actually, ARPANET normally provides *extremely* reliable mail and
telnet (login) / file transfer facilities across a 50 Kbit backbone
network of leased lines.  However, around the start of 1983, we on
the Arpanet began a rather painful switch of the primary network
protocols (from the so-called NCP to the DoD standard TCP/IP protocols)
which has been a massive job.  There were a variety of reasons for
this switch -- one primary result will be the ability for largescale
interconnection of Arpanet with other major (and minor) packet switched
networks at a fundamental level.  To complicate matters still further,
a switch from the old 733 mail standards to the new (and rather
complicated) 822 standards began to take place at about the same time.

All of this has resulted in a somewhat unstable transition period as
the many varied sorts of computers on Arpanet work out the bugs in the
many software systems which were effected by the changes.  The situation
has been improving continually, and there is little doubt that the usual
high standards of reliablity will be completely restored shortly.  I hope.

--Lauren--