Email, an invention that changed our way of long distance communication around the world.
Whether it be from across the street or outside the country, it gave many an opportunity to keep in close contact with their family and friends from a distance. Not only did it affect our social way of communicating, but it also gave the chance for businesses to start expanding as electronic messages would surf the web and arrive in a matter of seconds, saving company money and time. It all started in 1971, as the first electronic message was sent between two computers that were literally a few feet away from each other, was sent by Ray Tomlinson, who worked for Bolt Beranek and Newman company at the time, who had decided to create an interesting program on the ARPANET (internet at that time). That program would soon give him recognition as it opened up a whole new way of communication for everyone. Not only did he create email, but he gave a meaning for the @ symbol, which back then hardly served any purpose, and used it for allowing messages to be sent to different users signed on to computers located somewhere else.
Businesses would benefit from email, as they would be able to save money on not having to purchase stamps and not having to pay for shipping fees (unless it’s like a table they’re shipping) to send sensitive documents. All of that could be sent with just a few buttons and done, it is already there for the client. Email is also being used by nearly anyone and it can serve as a way to promote products, give out coupons and/or to help customers with any problems they come across. As time went by, other forms of communication were on the rise, as social media like Facebook, Twitter, and so forth would create another way of communication on the web. However, email is still being used to this day as not just another form of communication but as a way to sign up to access some of those social media sites, to get access to check your bank account, etc.
and will still be used for various projects which is why I believe that the invention of email is the most significant event in the history of the internet.