[NLnet Foundation]

The non-profit NLnet Foundation originated in 1989, but incorporates networking activities which go back as early as 1982. The foundation (in Dutch called "Stichting NLnet" or shortly "NLnet") has played a major role in raising the so-called pan-European "UNIX" Network and the commercial and public Internet network provision in Holland.
Some NLnet milestones: the first Internet backbone in Holland, the first local dial-in and ISDN infrastructure with full country coverage, the definition and implementation of a low cost connectivity structure. These caused Amsterdam to become the major exchange point for European Internet traffic. People like Piet Beertema, Daniel Karrenberg, Ted Lindgreen and the employees of NLnet have played a major role for NLnet and Internet in Europe.

In the summer of 1997 the Foundation sold its commercialized Internet provision activities to UUNET/WorldCom. These activities are now known as UUNET Nederland. For more information see the articles in the NLUUG Newsletter (February 1998 issue) and the USENIX Association's magazine ;login: (April and June 1998 issues).

The Foundation is currently setting up software projects which support the Internet community and is trying to synchronize its activities with other organizations active in the network field. The activities will be focused on providing network technology to the community and on keeping the outcome in the so-called "public domain" (Open Source).

The NLnet foundation maintains a close relationship with NLUUG and USENIX. This SANE 2000 conference is seen by the Foundation as a major forum to make its plans public, to encourage cooperation between information technology professionals and to obtain feedback from them.

Board members of the foundation:

Advisory board of the foundation:

To find out more about the NLnet foundation, visit its web site: http://www.nlnet.nl or e-mail: <stichting@nlnet.nl>


Last modified: October 26, 1999 (mr)

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