The Invention That Made the Internet Possible
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 »
Very cool! I learned so much today, thank you!
I think R 51 is funny!
Always love watching science live! Very cool episode!
Dr. Billings is a great inventor.
That was an amazing episode
Love watching Science live and learning new things each week
Its CRAZY how much we rely on internet now!
this is so cool! Thank you
Hi my name is ryron i love siccence live
That is so cool!
I love science
Loved learning about the internet! awesome video!
Love it hi from arizona!!!
It’s amazing how much Dr. Billings has contributed to the things we use today ( the net, computer, hydro car, ect.). I hope to hear more about the inventions he has made and how he kept persevering through failed attempts.
I love science live!
The internet has become more and more advanced and used. What used to be barely kilobytes transferred over has now turned into gigabytes, and everyone underestimates just how much technology changes. Everything has become reliant on internet, and that includes fridges.
The internet is very useful in today’s world even external to entertainment.
Cool episode!
How could the air powered robot be used in mars or moon missions?
So cool to know how this all started the tiny robot one was amazing I look forward watching more of this.
Thank you for this wonderful school.
I look forward to science live every week. Thank you
the air powered robot fascinated me it did look like a scorpion will take inspiration for future project of mine
the air technology is amazing
I’m your biggest fan!!!
The 3d printer was super cool.
i love science live
I love this video!
I love watches its amazing to know history of the quartz movement
Thank you! I always learn something new!
Dr. billings is the best!!!!!!!!
Comment I look forward to this every week. Thank you
Thank you for making this Science Live this week.
This was so good. Thank you.
Roger billings is so cool
The internet is fasinating in different ways because you can literally do anything thats on your mind and create something big
The electronic chip was cool.
It’s so awesome that Dr. Billings helped create the internet! And I’m so thankful to be able to able to attend Acellus with your help!
Super cool video thank you
My mom and dad talk about the Internet they had when it first came out.
It truly is a marvel. You should checkout the world map pixel art website called wplace.live. Its wonderful.
Your amazing
I love Dr billings
Awesome
Amazing video! Interesting!
Great live mr billings! Really interesting
this is cool
I liked the air powered robot.
hello from katy
Wow science live is great! Cool experiments!
best one yet so far
I remember reading about the Piezoelectric effect a while back, super neat. Another great episode!
Dr.Billings you are so awesome!!
We rely on the internet to much
Yes!!!
Learning how it started is so cool!!!
So thankful for the guy who made the Internet such a cool live keep up the good work
I loved the tiny robot that worked with only air and moved by itself without any wires. There was no technology and it worked in water. So cool to know how this all started. We rely so much on the internet now.
This is the greatest show iv’e ever
Wow! The internet is crazy!
So cool
i agree
Cool
Dr.billings your so awesome also Internet is an amazing technology
The little robot that runs on air is so cool!
I love science live!!
HI. SCIENCE LIVE
So cool to know how this all started. We rely so much on the internet now.
This was amazing!
I’m actually making my own computer right now
it’s so cool to see how it all started
Hi from Tennessee
I loved the tiny robot that worked with only air and moved by itself without any wires. There was no technology and it worked in water.
Could you guys do a science live explaining how to apply to colleges? I took an English course that had a few lessons on college but it was awhile ago and I would love something I could look at again and whenever I need more information!
Thank you Acellus Live!
It was interesting learning how Bulova used a tuning fork to find a way to move the second hand consistentley.
Computers are so fast now it’s insane!
Dr. Billings your contribution to the world of internet is so awesome. Thank you!
We rely on the internet so much. I.cant imagine the world without it
Great episode!
Cool live this week! Can’t wait to learn new things next week! 🙂
Wow! I didn’t know you had so many patents!
So interesting learning about the beginnings of the internet. Great topic!
The segment about the robots was really cool.
This was a fascinating episode.
I enjoyed this video.
this was very interesting
Dr Billings is so smart!
Wow! So cool!!!
This was such an interesting video!
Learning about the pneumatically powered robot was really intriguing! The fact that it has no electronics is shocking!
I think it is interesting how the first watch used a tuning fork inside. It is so cool how crystals are used to help run a watch to tell time. Thank you for the scholarship, Dr. Billings! I think Science Live is interesting! I appreciate All You Do to make a Difference and Impact! 🙂 🙂
Your jet is so cool. I enjoy watching. I think R51 is so funny. His android ice cream truck is pretty neat.
Thank you for the amazing episode of science live!
Nice! I enjoyed this episode.
can you do how a tv was made
Thank you for your continuous support and guidance through this patch in life.
I liked learning about the quartz watches!
you explain this so well
I really enjoyed looking into your past life. Although I was sad that the protocheyes where not in the video.
Any conversation about the internet sends me down a rabbit hole of early internet and how it worked.
I like about the Accu rotron it was cool 😎
Acellus has really helped me with learning at my own pace and always guides me around with questions I don’t understand, thank you Acellus.
That is so cool finding out who helped make the internet!
I enjoyed this episode.
Loved this episode! I love science live!
thanks for the video!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be able to use Acellus!
I love acellus! specially U.S history classes with Mr.Todds
3d printing is so awesome!
Wow just wow.
Such a interesting episode, thank yall!
this is one of my favorite episodes so far!!
Learning about the internet is so cool.
My favorite ice cream is chocolate!
I want a 3D printer, but they are so expensive.
Science live is so cool!
I liked this video it was cool!
The 3D printed robot is crazy
I loved this episode! I can’t wait till the next episode!
love watching science live videos
It was really interesting to learn about universal networking, I had no idea that Roger Billings invented it so that was cool to learn about
I can’t wait to see what everyone does for the science fair!
science live is so interesting
funny and awsome
This was very interesting!
I love circuits I love that you guys use circuits and I love science life. you guys are so cool.
Science live is always so entertaining!
I’m so excited for the science fair I can’t wait to see everyone else is going to make!🔬💡
what are we learning today.
I love science live!
Tobias you are so funny I loved your imaginary friend joke.(I’m sorry if I misspelled your name)
Is there anything else Dr. Billings helped to invent?
Dr .Billings you are an inspiration to so many people, including me!
I like the spider air robot that was very cool!!!
Science live is so cool
Fascinating to learn about the start of the internet!
Wow so cool!
Paget could use the idea of air pressure to build her moving butterfly. It could fly under the water with a camera that captures scenes. I appreciate your Big Heart Dr. Billings! If it wasn’t for the scholarship, my sister and I would have had to homeschool differently. Thank you! I have learned so much with Acellus over the last three years. I appreciate what you have been doing with Acellus. I think you put forth a lot of hard work, and I really appreciate you even more! 🙂 🙂
I never knew you helped make the world wide web!
Hi Dr.B!
Comment These are my favorite part of Wednesday.
Thank you for keeping the scholarship program going!
I like the YouTube setup!!
I Loved that tiny robot that wrekd with gust are I wish I had that tiny robot
Using a 3d printer to make an actual moving robot without electricity is so cool.
Were watches heavier when they were invented?
Wow so that’s interesting!
What an amazing story from Dr Billings! I really liked this episode.
Science live is so good!
love these science lives!!!
I loved the new story from Dr. billings!!!
Love watching these science lives every week!!
Wher can I find out more out about these topics?
The internet is so fascinating
thank you 51 😏
how neat! And I love hotels like The Marriott
I love watching science live😁😁😁
Awesome video!
very interesting!
𝓘 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓭 𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓲𝓬 𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓹𝓼 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓽𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓮 𝓼𝓸𝓸𝓸𝓸𝓸 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓵𝓸𝓵
Hello! Is there any flaws with the Universal Networking system? Thank you for your time!
Loved this episode!!
what other Non-electric sources of power can we use to power a robot?
Thank you I really appreaciate the scholarship I will definitely be more responsible and I will see you next science live.
IT WAS COOL
Such a cool video this week!
3D printers sooo fascinating!!!
I love this weeks live.
you should do a video of Dr.Billings reviewing all of R51s inventions haha! I loved this live today
so cool ! I love watching science lives!
The air robot is pretty cool
I think it’s really sad that you might have to sell your fancy car, we love Science Live!
Loved this episode.
Acellus is awsome
Loved this episode! I had so much fun watching this.
I love watching these!
Here from Texas, I love Science Live!
Wow, i never knew you invented the internet, that’s so cool!!!
Technology is always so fascinating to learn about.
This live was incredible!! So much fun to watch!
learned a lot great video!
Go science live!
love you Mr. billing
I love watching the Science Live videos!
Wow never knew that about the internet thank you Dr billings!
This is my first week with the program. I really like it.
The hydrogen robot being able to work basically as soon as it’s finished printing and also being able to go underwater is really cool! I’m sure there are so many ways to efficiently use it.
I’ve only really used a smart watch, but I’ve always thought that normal watches were really cool. So, learning the history and how they used tuning forks to make them was very cool!
Thank you for teaching us. I love the first video/Science live.
Cool science live 🙂
It was so cool learning about how they invented the watch. I didn’t know that there is crystal in every watch, that’s such a cool thing to know. Also the process was very tricky to make a watch but it payed off in the end and now we all use watches!!!
What do I have to do to enter Science fair, what buttons do I have to press *
This is a cool invention!!!!I love science live ☺️☺️☺️☺️
I love the scholarship program
that was cool
it awesome that dr billings was one of the people to help make the internet
Amazing episode today!
Do we still use quartz in watches today?
I love Dr. Billings!
i always enjoy watching science live
This weeks Science Live was a very good one. Dr. Billing’s gave a great speech at the end.
woah, I love science lives sooo much!! Can’t wait to see what we learn next week!!
This was a really great video!
Love watching these lives!
This is the best. I’m so happy I get to watch science live.
That’s crazy that he helped make the Internet!
so cool I love these lives!!
I like science almost as much as Zoeey
Great Job Dr. Billings God Bless You and Your Family And Those Who Are Reading This
this is so cool!