The Historical Account of Electronic Mail Communications: Exploring the Forgotten Net
In the early days of communication, a network of Teletype machines called Telex emerged in the 1930s, providing a means for businesses to communicate efficiently. By the 1950s, commercial users were yearning for a more advanced system, leading to the development of dedicated teletype lines.
Fast forward to 1962, and MIT's Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS) allowed users to share files, leading to the creation of a MAIL command by 1965. This was a significant step towards modern email, but it wasn't until 1971 that the first modern email system, developed by Ray Tomlinson, made its debut. Tomlinson is often credited with inventing modern email and introduced the use of the "@" sign to designate email addresses, enabling networked email communication.
In 1978, CompuServe started offering mail services, primarily for commercial customers. Around the same time, ARPANET, the precursor to the Internet, had SNDMSG to handle mail between networked computers. Tomlinson continued to drive mail innovation as part of the International Network Working Group.
The 1980s saw an explosion of Local Area Networks (LANs) that had their own servers, offering local mail services. It was also the era of AOL, which started as Quantum Link in 1985. AOL pioneered instant messaging and flooded the market with free trial disks. By 1995, AOL had around three million active users, and its signature "You've got mail!" audio clip became a cultural icon.
In the political sphere, Jimmy Carter was the first known presidential candidate to use email in 1976. Queen Elizabeth II sent the first head of state email in 1976 as well. The first astronauts to send email from space were those on the Space Shuttle STS-43 in 1991.
By the early 1980s, modern mail primarily relied on SMTP, IMAP, and POP protocols. Each user had a local file called MAIL BOX, where messages could be appended, but only the owner could read or edit it. In the 1980s, it was common for people to sign up for services from companies like CompuServe and The Source, which had gateways to other mail systems and eventually the Internet.
Fax machines came later and were more common among average people than Telex. Before the Internet, it was common for companies to advertise their Telex or TWX number for business accounts.
Today, the protocols have provisions for validating senders and encrypting messages to help prevent spam. Email has become an integral part of our daily lives, connecting us in ways unimaginable half a century ago.
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