Off topic but I had this vision of some tech guy back in the 1960’s getting a class A internet address — which was actually 255^3 = 16 million internet addresses.
I can just imagine an exchange between him and his boss.
“Hey boss, I got us a Class A internet address”
(substitute ARPANET if you like)
“A class A internet address? I’m not impressed.”
“But you see, boss, it’s really 16 million internet addresses.”
“16 million internet addresses? What am I going to do with 16 million internet addresses?”
“One day they’ll be worth something.”
“Wake me up when they are.”
40 years later, I see some of the class A holders have (I assume) sold off some of their addresses.
I’m more of a programmer than an internet guy so I’m sure someone will correct my vision.
:-)
1970s, though.
But the thought wouldn’t have just been 16 million addresses—it was the prestige of having one of those low numbers, much like how Delaware license plate craze started. Since they were sequential, those who got cars first got low numbers. But DE allows transfer...so there are now situations like the $675,000 for the “6” plate, similar to the selloff of IP addresses.
Heck, even 4-digit plates go for thousands of dollars, tens of thousands if cool numbers.