After all, they were just a tiny startup and could hardly defend their business in the event that a larger company decided to steal their idea. Mr. Fishman, their patent attorney, convinced them that, in addition to spreading the word quickly and widely, getting a patent on their idea was also the best way to protect their business interests.

Jen and Aric understood the potential of the internet and its importance to the world. They understood the technology, and they foresaw that a new infrastructure would become necessary in order to prevent potentially catastrophic internet outages.