Jon Postel
The soft-spoken editor who shepherded the Internet's technical rulebook, earning a reputation as its most trusted referee.
1943–1998 (age 55)·American computer scientist and Internet pioneer·Birthday: August 6·The Silent Generation
Biography
In the Internet's chaotic early days, Jon Postel was its calm, meticulous librarian. As a researcher at USC's Information Sciences Institute, he operated not with grand pronouncements but with a gentle, persistent authority. His most critical role was serving as the editor of the Request for Comments (RFC) series, the evolving technical documents that define how the Internet works. For nearly three decades, he reviewed, numbered, and archived every standard, from email protocols to network addresses, his name becoming synonymous with the process. He also personally managed the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), the central registry for critical identifiers. Colleagues spoke of his 'wise and respectful judgment.' His death in 1998 sent a shockwave through the engineering community, prompting a global moment of silence for the man whose unseen stewardship helped hold the nascent network together.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Jon was born in 1943, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1943
#1 Movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Best Picture
Casablanca
Jon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1943Born
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1948Started school
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1956Became a teenager
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Could drive
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1961Could vote
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Turned 21
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1973Turned 30
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 40
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 50
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1998Died at 55
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
Key Achievements
- Served as the sole editor of the Internet RFC document series from 1969 until his death in 1998.
- Was the first administrator of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), coordinating unique protocol parameters.
- Co-authored key Internet standards, including the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) for email.
Did You Know?
The Internet Society's Postel Award is named in his honor.
He is the author of RFC 1591, which formally defined the Domain Name System (DNS).
A guiding principle he advocated, known as 'Postel's Law' or the Robustness Principle, states: 'Be conservative in what you send, and liberal in what you accept.'
“Be conservative in what you send, and liberal in what you accept.”
