Lifelike evolution of CSnet and Bitnet: Birth to death

CSnet & Bitnet were two important contemporaneous networks that succeeded once and failed to continue in the end. Whether they were successful or frustrated, they were similar and relative in their burgeoning, flourishing and merging. First, the two networks both arose from some existing networks: the CSnet was established by some non-ARPAnet universities to serve the rest of computer science community, which was mainly supported by the National Science Foundation of USA, and the CSnet was built on some experience of the ARPAnet; the Bitnet was developed from the VNET. Second, the two networks both succeeded in attaining enough users, who used their service and validated the values of the networks. The sufficient users were also the reasons that the two networks could exist for a period of time at the age. Third, in the end, the two networks both had to merge because of their disadvantages: the CSnet lacked effective organization to support its finance; the techniques of the Bitnet dropped behind the contemporaneous networking techniques. The above three similarities between the CSnet and the Bitnet draw our emphasis on three factors: techniques and experience of previous network, users, and development potential. The three factors are most important for developing networks and the development potential includes continuable financial support and innovating techniques. Besides, the different disadvantages and advantages of the two networks made their complementarities possible, and their merger proved such possibility in the end. Thus, as the history said, the users chose the two networks to come into the world, flourish, merge and fall into disuse.