Computer Networking Initiatives in One of the World's Remote Cities

This article describes some computing initiatives made by members of the University of Western Australia, located in arguably the most isolated capital city in the world. These initiatives center around online and networking capabilities, predominantly arising from the installation, in 1965, of the first time-sharing computer in Australia. This far-sighted, if risky, purchase set the university on a course that led to many more initiatives, encompassing significant computer resource sharing, a ground-breaking online library system, early online education programs, and an early multihost packet-switched network. Most research concerning isolation and innovation suggests that isolation operates as a break on innovation, but the Western Australian experience belies that conclusion.