Name: Darrel Knoll

Q: Where in NOAA do you work now?
A: The National Oceanographic Data Center, I started there as a student trainee in the summer of 1963 and seemingly never left.

Q: When did you begin your work with NOAA?
A: I was working at the National Oceanographic Data Center when NOAA was created.

Q: Looking back, what events stand out as the most memorable during your time with NOAA?
A: In the early 60's one of my coworkers and I put together a rudimentary e-mail system called Confer using NOAA's contract with First Data Corporation for timesharing services. The system was developed in response to a lack of travel funds and a need to collaborate with colleagues in Asheville, North Carolina and Boulder, Colorado. Over time, it was used extensively within EDS (the Environmental Data Service, later to be merged into NESDIS) and by several of NOAA's other mainline components. After about four years, it was dropped in favor of the commercial service Telenet (not to be confused with telnet).

Q: From your point of view, what have been the most significant changes NOAA has experienced during the past 30 years?
A: Definitely the whole arena of computer utilization (OK, so I am a Computer Specialist) and communications. I have seen computers go from filling large rooms to notebook sized and from punched card input and 24 hour turnaround to "type it, do it" and "drag and drop". From "Why would anyone want one of those things on their desk?" to "Help, my e-mail doesn't work and neither can I!". The latter two quotes were from the same person. And the whole internet thing, which NOAA jumped on early. What a way to communicate with and deliver data to your constituents (over exchanging snail-mail, newsletters and all of the other non-electronic forms of communication that we relied upon).

This page updated on: Monday, 07-Jan-2002 21:41:56 GMT
History | Leadership | Special Events | NOAA In Your State
Faces of NOAA | Administrator's Notes | 30 Things To Know | Home

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
E-mail comments to David.P.Miller@noaa.gov