Ray Tomlinson, widely credited as the creator of email, has died, his employer, Raytheon, told CNN on Sunday. He was 74.

Tomlinson invented direct email messages in 1971. Before his invention, electronic messages could be shared only on a very limited network.

...

The reason for the "@" sign was mundane, he told NPR: Not only was it a little-used symbol, but "it's the only preposition on the keyboard."

Why bother at all, given the limited number of people using computers in those days?

Well, Tomlinson told the Verge, the telephone was fine, "but someone had to be there to receive the call." No voicemail back then; there were few answering machines and people who could afford it subscribed to answering services.

Read more: Ray Tomlinson, the creator of email, has died - CNN.com

Posted By: Kari
07 Mar 2016