EOTO: History of the First Email // Blog 6

Email 

Beginning of Email: 

Today, it's hard to imagine a time without email. For many of us, checking our email is something we do daily, but it all starts with Ray Tomlinson. 

Ray Tomlinson was born in Amsterdam, New York in 1941, attended college to participate in an internship program with IBM, and received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1963. He then went on to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It's shown that Tomlinson has an incredible background and a bright future ahead. 

In 1971, the American computer engineer Ray Tomlinson of Bolt, Beranek, and Newman (BBN) laid the groundwork for email. It allowed computers to communicate across great distances, BBN was working on the ARPANET, which was a precursor to the internet. 

Tomlinson's breakthrough occurred in 1971 when he connected two computers side by side and successfully sent the first electronic message across the ARPANET system. His creation was somewhat an accident; he had been looking for methods to use the network features as a part of the ARPANET to create programs when he discovered a method for texting. To separate a user from a computer's location, he used the famous "@" symbol, which is still used in email addresses today.

The Email was also created because government officials and researchers needed to communicate more quickly and efficiently. Previously, they depended on costly, time-consuming phone calls and physical mail. To benefit from that, Tomlinson created probably the most generation form of communication of the decade. Today, it's still used on a daily basis throughout the whole world, and it's something that I need and use every day.

Impact:

When email was invented it solved a number of significant communication issues at the time. It made the real-time exchange of messages possible, eliminating slower and often unreliable techniques like physical mail. When it was first introduced, it connected communication for the better, especially in professional settings. Government departments quickly realized the benefits of email and began using it to promote collaboration among departments. Email continues to be the backbone of workplace communication, serving as the primary channel that keeps businesses running smoothly. For businesses, email has changed the way they communicate in the workplace, replacing actual mail services for digital messaging. As email continued to evolve, it also became a good tool for keeping records of conversations.

This invention changed the world because it fostered a culture of instant feedback, allowing people like myself to share ideas and conduct business. Email has transformed the corporate landscape, and I see it through my parents because they use email in their everyday lives.

Negative aspects of Email:

1. I can sometimes feel overwhelmed by the amount of emails, which leads me to productivity challenges and stress, this is hard due to my ADD.

2. I have personally received emails that are scams, spam, and viruses, so protecting information is a constant challenge.

3. Sorting through and organizing large volumes of emails can take up a lot of time.