ALOHA Packet Broadcasting - A Retrospect

In this paper we discuss the lessons learned in the design and implementation of the ALOHANET, a packet broadcasting radio network in operation at the University of Hawaii since 1970. The major part of the paper consists of a detailed discussion of the communications protocol choices that have evolved since the initial stages of the design of ALOHANET. Choices concerning the design of the radio communication subsystem are then examined, followed by an evolutionary view of the important impact that microcomputer technology has had on the user interface design and resulting system capabilities. The concluding section summarizes our present views with respect to the basic system configuration and properties of packet broadcasting networks.