[marcus0x62]

No, there was a global hosts file prior to DNS — see RFCs 811[1] and 953[2].

[1] — https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc811 [2] - https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc953

[kingcharles]

TIL the Internet once ran on a shared text file. "This data base is an extension of the old ARPANET Hosts.txt file, and is being maintained by the NIC to provide continuity during the transition and expansion to the internet environment."