Changes

ICANN's history and the history of the Internet are interlinked, and the mission of ICANN was carried out prior to its formation by volunteers, governmental actors, and academic institutions. The following is an attempt to categorize the history (and prehistory) of ICANN and the Domain Name System into eras. Some eras are defined by technical and technological advances, while others are defined by policy initiatives, structural or operational changes to ICANN org, or a broader thematic push. For instance, the present era involves the globalization of access to and use of the Internet; despite ICANN being committed to the global Internet community from its inception, several trends are converging to make the present moment a fight for global and universal access and acceptance: the [[BRIC]] countries will represent the vast majority of Internet growth in the coming decade; [[Internationalized Domain Name]]s are growing in prominence and the effort to ensure [[universal acceptance]] of alternate language scripts is as well; efforts to nationalize the DNS by China and Russia are forcing a broader conversation about the value and impact of a global Internet; and ICANN itself is aggressively seeking to improve its presence in and outreach to under-represented parts of the world.

[[ICANN]]'s history and the history of the [[Internet]] are interlinked, and the [[ICANN Mission- and Value-Driven Initiatives|mission of ICANN]] was carried out prior to its formation by volunteers, governmental actors, and academic institutions. The following is an attempt to categorize the history (and prehistory) of ICANN and the [[The Domain Name System|Domain Name System]] into eras. Some eras are defined by technical and technological advances, while others are defined by policy initiatives, structural or operational changes to the [[ICANN Organization|ICANN org]], or a broader thematic push. For instance, the present era involves the globalization of access to and use of the Internet; despite ICANN's commitment to the global Internet community from its inception, several trends have converged to make the present moment a fight for global and universal access and acceptance: [https://www.statista.com/topics/3116/internet-usage-in-bric/#dossierKeyfigures Internet usage in BRIC] will represent the vast majority of growth in the coming decade; [[Internationalized Domain Name]]s are growing in prominence, and the effort to ensure [[universal acceptance]] of alternate language scripts is as well; efforts to provide [[Alternative Roots|alternatives to the DNS by China and Russia are forcing a broader conversation about the value and impact of a global, interoperable Internet; and ICANN itself is aggressively seeking to improve its presence in and outreach to under-represented parts of the world.

==Overview==

==Overview==

</timeline>

</timeline>

==Eras==

==Eras==

[[ICANN through the Decades|ICANN has grown and changed significantly over the years]]. [[:Category:Internet Pioneers|Many people]] have made contributions throughout their lives to shaping how the Internet and ICANN work. The following is an abbreviated look at the birth of the Internet and the development of ICANN. It should not be taken as a canonical resource regarding ICANN's evolution. Technological and policy initiatives overlap. The boundaries for each era are necessarily fuzzy. Although the effort is to identify themes within the events and history of a given era, there is no guarantee that we have it "right," or that there is a "perfectly correct" representation of a given timeframe.

[[ICANN through the Decades|ICANN has grown and changed significantly over the years]]. [[:Category:Internet Pioneers|Many people]] have made contributions throughout their lives to shaping how the Internet and ICANN work. The following is an abbreviated look at the birth of the Internet and the development of ICANN. It should not be taken as a canonical resource regarding ICANN's evolution. Technological and policy initiatives overlap. The boundaries for each era are necessarily fuzzy. Although the effort is to identify themes within the events and history of a given era, there is no guarantee that we have it "right," or that there is a "perfectly correct" representation of a given timeframe.

 

[[ICANN Mission- and Value-Driven Initiatives|ICANN's Core Mission and Values have also evolved over time]]. As the scope and breadth of ICANN's Mission have become more defined, the organization's [[ICANN Bylaws|bylaws]] have adapted as well: establishing new policy development mechanisms; integrating prior agreements into the bylaws; and more fully describing the purpose and goals of the organization. Within ICANN org, staffing and organizational changes have focused on implementing ICANN's mission as instructed by the board.

==1968-1976: The Birth of the Internet==

==1968-1976: The Birth of the Internet==

===1988===

===1988===

====Documents & RFCs====

====Documents & RFCs====

[[File:IAB.png ‎|500px|thumbnail|right|IAB logo (Image from [https://www.iab.org/about/history/ A Brief History of the IAB])]]* RFC 1083 - Internet Activities Board Official Protocol Standards (first mention of the [[Internet Assigned Numbers Authority]] (IANA) in the RFC Index)<ref>[https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc1083.html RFC 1083 - IAB Official Protocol Standards], December 1988</ref>

[[File:IAB.png ‎|1000px|thumbnail|right|IAB logo (Image from [https://www.iab.org/about/history/ A Brief History of the IAB])]]* RFC 1083 - Internet Activities Board Official Protocol Standards (first mention of the [[Internet Assigned Numbers Authority]] (IANA) in the RFC Index)<ref>[https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc1083.html RFC 1083 - IAB Official Protocol Standards], December 1988</ref>

===1992===

===1992===

* Internet goes commercial/ gains a public/ officially becomes marketplace

* Internet goes commercial/ gains a public/ officially becomes marketplace

* [https://www.icann.org/resources/unthemed-pages/bylaws-2002-12-15-en ICANN Bylaws], as revised in December 2002 in response to the Evolution & Reform Process and the ERC's recommendations.

* [https://www.icann.org/resources/unthemed-pages/bylaws-2002-12-15-en ICANN Bylaws], as revised in December 2002 in response to the Evolution & Reform Process and the ERC's recommendations.

==2002-2006:Exansion of [[ICANN Community]]==

==2002-2006:Expansion of [[ICANN Community]]==

===2002===

===2002===

====Events====

====Events====

* [[LACNIC]] joins [[ASO]]

[[File:ICANNWiki Main Page November 2005.png|thumbnail|right|1000px|[https://web.archive.org/web/20051125213350/http://www.icannwiki.com/index.php/Main_Page ICW Main Page] ahead of its [[ICANN 24]] debut]]* [[LACNIC]] joins [[ASO]]

* [[SSAC]] formed

* [[SSAC]] formed

* Bicameral [[GNSO]] replaces DNSO

* Bicameral [[GNSO]] replaces DNSO

[[Category:ICANN History]]

[[Category:ICANN History]]