Jon Postel – Famous People Facts

Date of Birth: August 6, 1943

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Date of Death: October 16, 1998

Biography

Jonathan Bruce Postel, known as Jon Postel, was a renowned American computer scientist who played a pivotal role in the development and management of the early Internet. Born in Altadena, California, Postel’s contributions to the Internet’s infrastructure have left an indelible mark on the digital world. He is best known for his work on the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which he managed for many years, and for co-authoring several key Internet standards. Postel attended UCLA, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Master’s degree, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science. During his time at UCLA, he was involved in the ARPANET project, the precursor to the modern Internet. His work on the Request for Comments (RFC) series, which provided foundational documents and guidelines for the Internet, has been particularly influential. Throughout his career, Postel was known for his dedication to the principles of simplicity and reliability in network design. He was instrumental in the creation and maintenance of key protocols, including the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), Internet Protocol (IP), and the Domain Name System (DNS). His leadership and foresight helped shape the Internet into the robust and scalable network it is today. Jon Postel passed away on October 16, 1998, but his legacy continues to influence the ongoing development of Internet technologies.

5 Interesting Facts about Jon Postel

1. Jon Postel was known as the “God of the Internet” due to his critical role in the development and management of the early Internet.

2. He authored or co-authored over 200 RFCs, which are essential documents for Internet standards and protocols.

3. Postel’s principle, often summarized as “Be conservative in what you send, be liberal in what you accept,” is a core guideline in network protocol design.

4. He was awarded the Posthumous IEEE Internet Award in 1999 for his contributions to the Internet.

5. Postel played a key role in the creation of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which manages IP address allocation and other critical functions.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Jon Postel

1. “In a world of scarce resources, allocation by lottery is preferable to allocation by wealth.”

2. “Be conservative in what you send, be liberal in what you accept.”

3. “The Internet is a voluntary interconnection of autonomous networks.”

4. “The key to success for the Internet is that it was built on open standards.”

5. “If we didn’t have the Internet, we would have to invent it.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Jon Postel was not known for significant personal wealth; his contributions were primarily academic and infrastructural rather than financial. However, his work has had an immeasurable impact on the global economy through the development of the Internet.