Contact  Don Edward Sprague
Email to:

don@complexrelativity.com
A short overview

I worked for IBM between 1968 and 2000 when I retired.  I was region designated specialists on
computer hardware in the early 1970s. I worked in software support. I taught Systems Network
Problem Determination for specialists. We spend hours lecturing on the handshake between large
mainframe computers. We took the students in lecture and hands on lab from the key stroke to
the application and back. We covered all components of communication on the bits level.  
Including  communication line level through the various components.  We spent hours on chalk
board building the communication between mainframe components.  One command called the bind
command took hours of bit level discussion because each bit had meaning that took explanation
and discussion. That was before PCs were around. Just before going to the education center, we
carried a mainframe in a suitcase that was about 2 1/2 feet by 2 ½ half feet by about 1 foot.

In the 1970s, I initiated and managed the project to restructure the training to include entry level,
mid level, and specialists. I initiated and performed a skills analysis to determine the appropriate
skills for entry level, intermediate and specialists level systems network problem determination.  I
managed the project to complete the new class development and curriculum upgrade. I
established and managed the project to expand the education center problem determination lab
from 6 networks to 9 end to end networks with telephone facility simulators. We taught
thousands of people how to do Problem Determination throughout networks while IP was being
invented.

I was promoted to the Systems Center which was the corporate level of support. If the local
computer mainframe hardware or software repair people couldn't fix it, they called for branch
support, then region support, then the systems center.  We were on call for company wide
support. There wasn't any support above us. I co-authored the data center relocation workshop  
At one time,  the worlds largest manufacturer of a very large product sent a letter to the
Chairman of IBM expressing his concern about a pending data center relocation. They were
relocating 10's  of millions of dollars worth of computers that had to concurrently run a multi-billion
dollar business. The letter landed on my desk. We scheduled a meeting with over 100 people
including three levels of management in IBM and various levels of customer management.  I flew
out west for the meeting that began when I walked in and ended when I left. The relocation plan
review went well and the actual multi-million dollar relocation went very well. I consulted with
hundreds of  large and small companies and government agencies concerning their data center
relocation activity.  The published document was used by thousands worldwide.

In the late 1970s, I wrote the first Systems Network Control Center development,  
implementation and executive workshop and guide that was used by tens of thousands of
enterprises world wide. I consulted with hundreds of high level executives in some of the worlds
largest companies concerning how they managed their computers and networks. My workshop
was used by thousands of worldwide companies and government agencies. I wrote technical
manuals. I wrote planning and installation guides. I wrote sales manuals. I taught and consulted
with all levels of people in enterprise including government. Using an IBM product, I developed the
IBM Information Network’s first PC based presentation instead of using foils or slide projectors.


In 1980, I originated and wrote the electronic customer support architecture and strategy. I
continued to refine them until they were fully engaged in 1985. One of my official job
responsibilities was ownership of the online global network architecture and strategy.  When I
originated the idea in 1980, I came up with the phrase, “anything that can be recorded
electronically can be delivered electronically".  Back then, IBM had over 33 separate isolated
networks of it’s own.  We had thousands of customers with one or more networks.  We would do
software problem determination and print a dump.  Then go back the branch and do more PD.
Then down load a tape through one of IBM’s networks.  Then drive to the customer location to
install the fix. Having been the author of the Systems Network Control Center workshop, I knew
about networks.  I had worked with thousands of IBM customers with network development and
design and management activities.  I simply put it together. I wrote an architecture and strategy
with cost effective motivation to drive interconnection of IBM’s computers and networks with it’s
customers.  The IBM motivation was the productivity and customer satisfaction associated with
faster more reliable PD and fix deliver.  No more Systems Engineers and Software Support people
driving back and forth.  Do it electronically. It seems that I could see the problem and the solution
based on my back ground as a former hardware repair, Program Support Rep, educator who
taught as well as performed course requirements and development work, Systems Network
Control Center workshop author and systems management consultant.  So I originated IBM’s
Electronic Customer Support Architecture and Strategy.  It had a few basic steps.  

FIRST: Establish connections between IBM and it’s largest customers to eliminate the Systems
Engineer and Program support diving.  Also, allow IBM’s largest  customers to access IBM systems
so they could do some of the stuff they had to have a the SEs and PSRs do.  

SECOND: Add multi-enterprise Email.  All companies already had some form of file transfer and
intra-enterprise email. They just were isolated.  I was driving multi-enterprise email since the
beginning in 1980 when I originated the phrase that anything that can be recorded electronically
can be delivered electronically.  That is the reason that management in the IBM Information
Network gave me the moniker of Grand Father of Email. That came a little after an executive
meeting in 1985 when I predicted that in less than 10 years, business will have their electronic
address in advertisements along with or instead of their phone numbers.  By 1985, the
architecture and strategy was formally engaged with the announcement of IBM InfoExpress.  In
1987, my network architecture and strategy was republished in an IBM internal network
document. Since I had the concept included in the presentation and publications I had been
making for years,  it was well known throughout the commercial and government networking
world.

THIRD: Full multi-enterprise world wide electronic business. That was an obvious next step that
helped sell the customers on the idea of the first step connection to IBM’s online network service
for electronic business with IBM.  One connection to IBM’s online network gave a common
connection to the world for open electronic communication with all people regardless of their
business or government activities and communication partners.  

FOURTH:  My ultimate goal was for my family and friends to do email and all sorts of stuff
electronically including pictures and videos. My goal also included for you and whomever reading
this to do all sorts of stuff electronically. I hated to see the price of stamps going up to carry all
those papers made from trees. I also thought it would make things like family and class reunions
easier to plan and promote.

By 1995, the IBM Global Network was the worlds largest online service provider.  We had most of
the corporate and government world interconnected.  The remaining corporate and government
world was connected to competing online service provider.  A small portion of the general public
was connected to various online services providers. About then is when the commercial internet
came about.  The NSF seven year contract for the IBM MCI and Merrit to build a closed fair use
rules Internet was ending.  IP was made available for online services providers to convert to.  
That conversion ended the protocol competition that had been going on in the huge online
commercial network world since ATT made the first modem available on the market in 1960 and
the first large network which was the commercial SABRE airlines reservation network IBM
developed in 1962.  

My titles in IBM included but are not limited to: Senior Customer Engineer. Region designated
specialists, Program Support representative, Instructor, Systems Center representative,  Program
Manager, Senior Systems Engineer, IBM Network Requirements Manager, Product Manager,
Consulting Marketing representative, and Project manager.

Prior to IBM, I was a tool and die maker, lab technician,  model builder and assistant engineer
primarily making small home appliances and automotive components. I did things like receive a
one page pencil sketch with three dimension. Then I would build an engineering model, perform
test and performance analysis. Then through iterative steps, arrive at an optimum new product
design.  

I am also a Vietnam Era Veteran. After I was elected to public office, the invitation I received to
attend a Presidential Inaugural Ball was addressed; To Honorable Don E. Sprague.  Please don’t
call me your honor.

I do know about precise words. I do know about specific language.  I know that ambiguity doesn't
work when facts are critical. Perhaps my background is what takes to address the ambiguity of
relativity.   
Internet Business Model Invention


In an article called “What Is The Internet (And What Makes It Work)
- December, 1999 By Robert E. Kahn and Vinton G. Cerf”

http://www.cnri.reston.va.us/what_is_internet.html

they write:

Quote

"For a long time, the federal government did not allow organizations to connect
to the Internet to carry out commercial activities. By 1988, it was becoming
apparent, however, that the Internet's growth and use in the business sector
might be seriously inhibited by this restriction."

End quote

In other words, by 1988, commercial services providers were using
the open Commercial Business Model to successfully deliver
interconnected network services without the closed government
TCP/IP. Therefore,  TCP/IP was on a path to demise unless it
adopted the open Commercial Business Model as the Internet
Business Model.


In short: When the Global online network (aka Internet)
Business Model was 8 years old and in place, it was adopted
by the developers of IP.



What is the Internet Business Model?  



It is the concept of interconnecting all networks to allow any user
on any network to communicate with any user or user on any
other network to perform electronic business and do email and  
social networking. It is based on the statement that: anything that
can be recorded electronically can be delivered electronically.  



What is IP.  



It is the protocol that all network managers adopted.  IP is like
concrete on a highway.  Any road surface or technology can work
on the highway.



Who invented the Internet?  



The answer has two parts:

- Many people invented the technologies,

- One person invented the business model of a shared online
network to allow any to any to any.  





The Internet business model began as the Electronic Customer
Support Architecture and Strategy.  The 1985 IBM Information
Network Marketing Guide included the business model as a
marketing approach years before IP was made available for
commercial use.  



1985 IBM Information Network Marketing Guide showing
the Business Model that became the Internet Business model.


Announcements and news letter articles showing the success
of the Business Model before it was adopted by the
developers of IP.


There were millions of users on hundreds of thousands of
networks while IP was being developed.  In 1980, all the existing
networks were isolated.  That is when the Business Model for
connecting all networks was invented.  All network providers
adopted the business model while IP was being invented.  The
Internet protocol was invented as a technology for closed
government networks.  Eventually, the managers of the closed
government networks adopted the existing open commercial
business model.