Has been internet predicted by a sci-fi novel?

Question

In the history of sci-fi literature there are examples of technologies predicted in a story (in the sense that a strongly similar to the existent one was present in the tale/novel/book/etc without it been invented yet), is this the case of internet?

Answer 1

The earliest such prediction appears to be Murray Leinster’s 1946 short story “A Logic Named Joe”.

The story's narrator is a "logic repairman" nicknamed Ducky. A "logic" is a computer-like device described as looking "like a vision receiver used to, only it's got keys instead of dials and you punch the keys for what you wanna get".

In the story, a logic whom Ducky names Joe develops some degree of sapience and ambition. Joe proceeds to switch around a few relays in "the tank" (one of a distributed set of central information repositories), and cross-correlate all information ever assembled – yielding highly unexpected results. It then proceeds to freely disseminate all of those results to everyone on demand (and simultaneously disabling all of the content-filtering protocols). Logics begin offering up unexpected assistance to everyone which includes designing custom chemicals that alleviate inebriation, giving sex advice to small children, and plotting the perfect murder.