The Invention That Made the Internet Possible
In 1978, Dr. Roger Billings invented Universal Networking — the foundational technology behind how the modern internet shares information.
In this episode of ScienceLive, he tells the complete story for the first time, in his own words. It starts with a problem. J. Willard Marriott, founder of the Marriott Hotels empire, had 12 of IBM’s largest mainframe computers — the biggest the company made — and they still couldn’t keep up with reservation demand. IBM told him a 13th machine would crash the entire system. He needed a solution that didn’t exist yet. Dr. Billings invented one.
His concept was elegantly simple: instead of every computer trying to talk to every other computer simultaneously, create a dedicated “library” computer — what we now call a server — that any number of users could query independently. The result was a system that could scale to an unlimited number of users without overloading. He called it Universal Networking, patented it as U.S. Patent No. 4,714,989, and proved it worked by installing it at real businesses around the world using the Billings Microcomputer — one of the earliest personal computers ever built.
Today, every website, every app, and every internet transaction runs on this same client-server principle.
This is the story of one of the most important and least-known inventions of the 20th century — told by the man who invented it.

About DrB
Read more about DrB »
About the Roger Billings Scholarship Program »



From Maine
hi guys i am Skylar from Texas
Hey, from Virginia
First!! The next one should be about quantum mechanics or quantum tunneling I’m in 5th/6th grade by the way
Hello from texas
Very much excited to watch!!
Hello from NV
Hello from Kentucky!
from ct
Hey i’m from Georgia
I can’t wait to watch this new science live!
Hi from Texas!
from teaxs have a nice day or night
Hello from Virginia !
Hiiii from Montana!!
Hi, this is Ryden. Thank you.
Good evening from Texas!!
Hi from oklahoma
Hi from Kentucky <3
Hello from Missouri!
Hello from Iowa
Hello from Madison TN
Hello from delaware
Hello cant waitfortoday!!!!
Is this the new video for this week?
Hello, lots of love from Alabama!!
Hi from Penny in California!
Tuned in and ready to watch
Hi from Birmingham Alabama
Hello from Missouri!
hello from Ga
im super exited about the live!!!
Hello! I’m excited to watch! Fluffball! Did you see the Artemis II launch earlier? I saw it on a livestream.
Hi from North Carolina!
Hi from Texas! :]
Signed in from KC…Are there technical issues?
Excited for tonights video!
Hello from Connecticut!
Hey from OR!
So excited!
Hello from Maryland.
hey yall. Brooklynn from tx. Did anyone eles watch Artemes 2 lunch
Hello from Colorado
Hi from NC!
Love the live! 🙂
Hi from NZ
hi from new york
Hello from GA.
Hello I’m from Nebraska
Hi from texas
Watching from SWFL. Just saw the rocket launch.
Here from Virginia
Hi to everyone!
Brynlee here!
hello from nc
Hello from South Florida
Luv science live
hi from mi
Hi from new york
this is so exciting, also i’m from texas!
Hi everybody I love Science live 😀
Hi! Watching from Texas!!
Hi from WV!
Hi from NC
hello from Texas!
Hi from Louisiana
hello from nebraska
Hello, from Texas!
Hi from Montana
Hi from Texas.
Hi from Iowa!
Hello from NE
Hello from Virginiaa
I love DrB
thank you for these lives!
i cant waIT TO LEARNNN
Hello from Oklahoma!
hii, so excited
Hi from ky
Hello from Texas! Ready for science live!!
Science is so cool we can learn about ourselves and other things around us in the best and scientific way possible
Hello everyone welcome!
Hi from New York
I’m excited too
Hello from Texas!!
Hi from Atlanta
Hi I’m so excited
Hi from Ohio
Hello from Georgia!
Hello from Missouri!!
Hello from IL.
Me to.
Thank you!
Hi from KY! I’d love to have a 3D printer.
Hi from North Dakota
hi from missouri
Cool
I used to live there!
Im excited
30+ minutes of exercise is better for all of us
Hello from NY!
Hello from Michigan. I love science!
hi from texas
I am from Texas too!!
hello from az
Hi from NC
Hello from Texas
Hi from RI!
Hi from CT!
Hi from Oklahoma ready for this live today!
I look forward to todays class!
Hi from Alabama
Hi from Louisiana!
Science Time!
im so happy what we are going to learn
Hello from Alaska!
Always ready for another science live.
Hello from Arkansas
Hey from TX.
Signing in from Charleston, South Carolina!!
Happy April fools!
Hi from Alex in western Nebraska!!
this is today’s right
Hello from Georgia. Loved this!
Love these videos and the information that comes with them!
I cznt figure out if I missed the live? If I did does this still give me the credit for watching it?
Hi from Texas!! Excited for tonight’s live.
Hello from Alabama
Hi from Virginia
hi from texas
Hi from Kansas!
So excited!!
Happy Wednesday!!
Hi from Arkansas
Hello from New Jersey
Hello, I enjoy these videos!
Hello from Arkansas! Happy to be back for this weeks science live!
I love science live from utah
Hello from kentucky!
Hii from Florida!!!
Hello from GA
Hi from texas
hello from Illinois
Hello from Louisiana
From Virginia!
I love science live.
Excited to watch this science live!
I love science live!!!
Hi from Ohio!
Hey from peru
Hello from Nebraska
hiii from cali
4-1-2026 – Watching from the NC coast!
Hi from texas!
Cool!
Here from IL
Hey from Kentucky
Hi, here from Victoria!
Hello from Florida!
Yay for a new episode!
I am very excited for this live
Man, I can not wait for science live! Plus, I can’t wait to learn something new!
I love science live
Wow! That was Interesting!
Hi!! cant wait for today’s live!!
This is going to be good!
Hii from Florida!!!!
hi from ND
happy to be here
ready to learn
Hello from Colorado! I wonder what Dr. Roger Billings will talk about tonight!
Hello lots of love from Alabama!!
hello from florida!!
these are great
hi from mississippi
Hello from NJ!
awesome
Greetings from USA.
Hey from Utah!!! So excited for tonight!
These are awesome!
Im so excited for this episode!
Excited for tonight’s live!
hi from texas
Hi! So excited to watch todays episode. Have such a great week!
hi from MO
Hello from Washington!
From Virginia! But why is it not live today?
Watching from Wyoming.
Hi can’t wait for this science live
Hi from Los Angeles, Cali!!!! <3
awesome !
Hello! I’m excited!
hi from Nebraska
Hello from FL
hi from MN
Hello from Virginia
Super exited
hi from texas
howdy howdy from Nevada!
This is gonna be amazing!!