Metcalfe and Boggs: Ethernet for local packet switching

What changed

Computers gained a working architecture for distributed high-speed local packet communication.

Scientific scope

The 1976 two-author paper and prototype; later IEEE standards, hardware ecosystems and deployments are separate.

Evidence

The linked sources identify this contribution and its scope. WRS has not independently reconstructed the scientific claims. This is the 1976 paper and prototype architecture, not the later IEEE standard, patents, commercialization or every contributor to Ethernet deployment.

Contributors

• Robert M. Metcalfe · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.
• David R. Boggs · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.

• Metcalfe and Boggs, Ethernet: Distributed Packet Switching for Local Computer Networks (1976)

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

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