On this day in 1980, Digital Equipment Corporation, Intel and Xerox jointly published version 1.0 of the Ethernet specification, known as the DIX standard. The release occurred nearly three years before the modern internet took shape, yet the protocol would later become the dominant method for linking computers within local area networks and beyond. Historical records indicate that experimental Ethernet research had been conducted at Xerox PARC during the 1970s. Prior to the DIX standard, many computer manufacturers hesitated to embed network adapters in their systems, concerned that a single type of interface might not interoperate with the diverse equipment and networks organizations would deploy. To encourage broad industry adoption, the DIX specification was deliberately designed to be openly usable by any vendor in their hardware designs. The original announcement did not include a direct quote from any participant, and no further commentary was provided in the source material.