Chaosnet

Chaosnet is a decentralized local network system developed by MIT's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in 1975 to support the Lisp Machine system, enabling communication among computers within a few kilometers. Designed for simplicity and high performance rather than long-distance communication, Chaosnet uses a carrier-sense multiple-access hardware structure (similar to Ethernet) to connect dozens of machines and provide access to shared resources like files, printers, and specialized processors. The network deliberately excludes features unnecessary for local operation, such as provisions for noisy links or multiple communication paths, allowing it to prioritize reliability and ease of maintenance.