Email’s 34th birthday
Sometime in October 1971 a network engineer called Ray Tomlinson hit upon the “@ sign” as a core addressing concept and used it to send the first “modern” email.
- An article on the BBC News website carries an interview with the “Father of email” from the 30th anniversary in 2001.
- Ray Tomlinson gives his own version of story.
- Paul Buchheit uses the anniversary as an opportunity to talk up Gmail.
- The “@ sign” has enjoyed a curious and interesting history as it spread to cultures that never used it before the invention of email.
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October 23rd, 2005 at 8:53 am
I still can’t believe that the first e-mail was never saved, but it’s definately interesting to see the evolution of the “@” symbol. I also remember watching a video that interviewed a guy that implemented ALT+Ctrl+DEL on PCs. Computers and communications are beginning to become part of our history and culture.
October 23rd, 2005 at 9:39 am
Yes, that exchange between Bill Gates and David Bradley over Ctr+Alt+Del is pretty funny.
October 28th, 2005 at 3:06 am
And I’ve actually thought the first email was sent in 1989. Silly me.