How the world was oneArthur C. Clarke
How the world was one
beyond the global village
by Arthur C. Clarke · first published 1992
13mentions
7recommended by
8HN commenters
2010–2024first – last mentioned
88% recommend13% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Readable history of telecommunications, starting with the first submarine cables, covering how networks evolved and why they work as they do; recommended for readers curious about undersea cable infrastructure.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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I'd also recommend "How the world was one" ( http://www.amazon.com/How-World-Was-Arthur-Clarke/dp/0553074... ) It does an astonishingly good job of describing how networks evolved and why the function as they do today (as of mid-90's - not much…
on “How the Internet works” ↗The first time I remember reading this, one of the comments mentioned Arthur C. Clarke's "How The World Was One" as a deeper dive into the same subject. If you enjoy this article I highly recommend picking up a copy, it's a fascinating read.
on “Mother Earth Mother Board (1996)” ↗If you want to learn more about the first transatlantic cable check out How the World Was One by Arthur C. Clarke. Reading it now and really enjoying it: https://amzn.to/3EiACjU
on “Interactive Submarine Cable Map” ↗…educational value (I vote yes.) If you want to do some additional reading on the subject, I can recommend Arthur Clarke's excellent collection of essays on the subject of modern communications technology _How the World Was One: Beyond the Global Village_. No if you want to argue that the bulk of TV is junk, I wouldn't disagree with you, hence my reference to Sturgeons Law. If you wanted to argue that the infrastructure for…
on “Daniel Lyons: Obama right, devices like the iPad are rotting our brains” ↗I first learned about the existence of this cables reading Arthur C. Clarke's How the World Was One (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_the_World_Was_One) which I highly recommend.
on “Submarine cable map” ↗I came to the comments section to make sure this article was posted, it's such a fantastic read. If you read it and are hungry for more, check out "How the World Was One" by Arthur C. Clarke. It's a fascinating history of telecommunications with a large focus on submarine cables. https://www.amazon.com/How-World-Was-Arthur-Clarke/dp/055307...
on “First-ever fiber optic cable between U.S. and India via Brazil and South Africa” ↗I have a quite good book on the shelves on the very same subject, but I am unable to locate it at present. For a slightly wider take, Arthur C. Clarke's "How the world was one" is a most readable account of how telecommunications has made the world smaller, starting with the first submarine cables, proceeding with satellites (of course he would!) before devoting a section to…
on “How the Internet Travels Across Oceans” ↗Another recommendation in this vein is Arthur C. Clarke's "How the World Was One", it provides some fascinating historical context for how we got to where we are today (or rather, where we were in 1992).
on “The Dunant subsea cable” ↗On one of those previous discussions someone recommended Arthur C. Clarke's "How the World was One" as a companion piece if the subject material is interesting to you. It's long out of print at this point but well worth seeking out a copy for a fascinating history of early telecommunications.
on “Mother Earth Mother Board (1996)” ↗Focuses more on the historical side of undersea cables, but I can’t pass up the opportunity to recommend Arthur C Clarke’s “How the World was One” which is an incredible book on the history of telecommunications infrastructure, including the history and economics of undersea cables.
on “Nuvem: Cable to connect Portugal, Bermuda, and the U.S.” ↗And if you’re craving even more telecoms history after that (as I was when I read it a few years ago) Arthur C Clarke’s “How the World Was One” goes into the history of undersea cables and other telecoms technologies https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_the_World_Was_One
on “The invisible seafaring industry that keeps the internet afloat” ↗Also, he wrote some non-fiction which is eminently readable; "How the World was One" on the history of telecommunications, for instance.
on “He wrote the future: On Arthur C. Clarke's centenary” ↗I'm actually just finishing "How the world was One" by Arthur C. Clarke. It's an absolutely fascinating look at undersea cabling. So in 1858, the wire that was laid across the Atlantic by Cyrus W. Field was essentially just that, not a cable at all.…
on “Whatever Happened to the Phone Phreaks?” ↗