Who invented e-mail? That’s a bit like asking, “
Who invented the internet?” Even those with intimate knowledge of its creation can’t agree on the moment it actually came to life. But
amid all the bluster over the origins of e-mail, one man holds a claim that resonates well beyond the rest.
Ray Tomlinson is the reason your e-mail address includes an ‘@’ symbol.
For this reason — and many others — you wouldn’t be remiss in calling Tomlinson the inventor of e-mail. And
many do. Earlier this year, in recognition of the seminal electronic mail system he created in 1971, Tomlinson was inducted into the inaugural class of the Internet Society’s (ISOC) Internet Hall of Fame, alongside such pioneers as
Vint Cerf,
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, and
Van Jacobson.
