SKU: 99829330618

How Not to Network a Nation: The Uneasy History of the Soviet Internet

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How Not to Network a Nation: The Uneasy History of the Soviet InternetHow, despite thirty years of effort, Soviet attempts to build a national computer network were undone by socialists who seemed to behave like capitalists. Between 1959 and 1989, Soviet scientists and officials made numerous attempts to network their nation to construct a nationwide computer network. None of these attempts succeeded, and the enterprise had been abandoned by the time the Soviet Union fell apart. Meanwhile, ARPANET, the American

How, despite thirty years of effort, Soviet attempts to build a national computer network were undone by socialists who seemed to behave like capitalists.

Between 1959 and 1989, Soviet scientists and officials made numerous attempts to network their nation--to construct a nationwide computer network. None of these attempts succeeded, and the enterprise had been abandoned by the time the Soviet Union fell apart. Meanwhile, ARPANET, the American precursor to the Internet, went online in 1969. Why did the Soviet network, with top-level scientists and patriotic incentives, fail while the American network succeeded? In How Not to Network a Nation, Benjamin Peters reverses the usual cold war dualities and argues that the American ARPANET took shape thanks to well-managed state subsidies and collaborative research environments and the Soviet network projects stumbled because of unregulated competition among self-interested institutions, bureaucrats, and others. The capitalists behaved like socialists while the socialists behaved like capitalists.

After examining the midcentury rise of cybernetics, the science of self-governing systems, and the emergence in the Soviet Union of economic cybernetics, Peters complicates this uneasy role reversal while chronicling the various Soviet attempts to build a "unified information network." Drawing on previously unknown archival and historical materials, he focuses on the final, and most ambitious of these projects, the All-State Automated System of Management (OGAS), and its principal promoter, Viktor M. Glushkov. Peters describes the rise and fall of OGAS--its theoretical and practical reach, its vision of a national economy managed by network, the bureaucratic obstacles it encountered, and the institutional stalemate that killed it. Finally, he considers the implications of the Soviet experience for today's networked world.

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SKU: 99829330618

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Anne Wright Official
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 4
worth every penny
Color: Black, Color: Black
I was honestly surprised by how good this knife set is for the price. I previously owned a $300 knife set, and I can confidently say the Fikshot knives are just as sharp — maybe even sharper right out of the box. The blades slice through meat, vegetables, and bread effortlessly, and they still hold their edge really well after regular use. The full tang handles also feel sturdy and comfortable in hand, which makes prep work much easier. I also love how sleek and modern the black knife block looks on my kitchen counter. It feels like a premium set without the premium price tag. The built-in sharpener is a nice bonus too. My only small complaint is the kitchen scissors placement in the block. The scissors tend to rub against the slot when pulling them out, and it scratches the knife block a bit over time. It’s not a dealbreaker for me, but I do wish that part was designed a little better. Overall, this is an excellent value knife set that performs far beyond its price point. Great for home cooks, new homeowners, or anyone wanting a high-end feel without spending hundreds of dollars.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2026
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Taylor
Belleville, US
★★★★★ 5
Finally a knife set that I love
Color: Black, Color: Black
I’ve been needing a new knife set that also came with steak knives and these are great! Very durable, has a nice weight to it, doesn’t feel cheap, great price and they came very sharp! Bonus points for coming with scissors and whatever that sharpening thingy is. Haven’t used that yet bc I don’t know how but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2026
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Rubelys
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 5
Conives
Color: Black
Very good quality and super resistant covers.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2026
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Dean Winchester
West Palm Beach, US
★★★★★ 5
Shockingly Good
Style: Heavy Duty, Style: Heavy Duty
If you’re like me (cheap), shopping for silverware is painful because it is either ridiculously overpriced or affordable yet garbage. I’m quite pleased to report that this set is very decent quality and is a fantastic value for the price, the pieces all have a little bit of weight to them, so they do not feel cheap in your hand, yet they are not these bloated, Henry the eighth hammers that are uncomfortably heavy. They are well balanced and seem to be durable..
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Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2026
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Amazon Customer
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Very good quality.
Style: Heavy Duty
Quality is great. Nice finish. The organizer is a plus. Quality product for the price.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2026

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