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The Dialnet Project was aimed at developing inter-computer communication
techniques using switched telephone lines.
The system includes electronic mail, file transfer, and remote login
(telnetting) capabilities.

These capabilities exist in some form in prior digital
communication networks such as Arpanet, Tymnet, and Telenet, but
all of these systems involved relatively large fixed costs, so
that they are practical only when high-volume communications are
required.
Dialnet has relatively low startup and maintenance costs (typically
$5,000 plus $10 per month) yet provides advanced communication
capabilities to other sites that have implemented the Dialnet protocols.

A demonstration system was constructed at Stanford University
using three DECsystem 10 computers and 1200 baud modems.
Additional implementations are being assembled on off-campus computers.
The system works and wider applications are anticipated.

.cb Scientific Collaborators
The Dialnet project was initiated by John McCarthy (Professor of Computer
Science) and the general specifications were developed by him and Les
Earnest (Senior Research Associate).
Detailed specifications and programming were done by Mark Crispin
(Systems Programmer).