BBN, the contractor that played a major role in bringing the ARPAnet to life, had a unique structure that made it the ideal candidate for the project. BBN embodied the “middle ground between academia and the commercial world” and had a team of top researchers and engineers. The firm prioritized interesting and ambitious projects over profitability, and its researchers were happy and motivated. BBN’s structure allowed for the successful execution of complex projects like the ARPAnet. The firm started as an acoustics research consultancy and gradually expanded into other areas, including computing. Key figures like J.C.R. Licklider played a crucial role in bringing computing expertise to BBN.
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