Networks: Wiring a nation

Fundamental to next-generation computing are networks through which computers can share each other's resources as thou'gh they were parts of the same machine. The computing power of all the computers on a next-generation network would be availableat any node In the network. Personal computers would be connected to local-area networks, and local networks would be interconnected in a nationwide supernetwork. Onecould think of the networkasa single, distributed computer, andeach computeras a specialpart of the architecture.