The First Email Was Sent In 1971

Since then, spam volume has doubled each day from the day before.

But seriously.

It is true that the First Email Message was sent in 1971.

Yes. There were computers around in 1971.

In 1970, my computer programming class consisted of FORTRAN and key-punch cards. You could say that Belleville High School had a ways to go in those days. Nowadays, my alma mater is toying with fiber optics. Woo woo!

Getting back to the first email, the folks at About.com shared a copy of that first email. You'd be surprised at how much the first test messags have in common with most spam email addresses.

Remember when you learned how to type (on a typewriter for those of us old enought to remember typewriters) and you'll see the significance of those first messages' timeless words "QUERTYIOP" and maybe "ASDFGHJK."

Come to think of it, much of the email going around now that passes for real email hasn't changed much from the usefulness of those test messags. Has it?

NEXT TIME: How I invented Blogging.

Copyright © 2007 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.