Why we use the @ symbol in email ?

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Ah, the mystical "@" symbol, that little curly character that has taken over our emails and usernames. Ever wondered why we use this funky character in the digital realm? Trust me the reason will do nothing but surprise you, Let find out shall we!


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Assuming you're sitting at your computer, ready to send an email to your friend, Bob. You type in his name, followed by a curious little "@" symbol. Now, before you hit that send button and catapult your thoughts through the digital universe, have you ever stopped to wonder what that "@" symbol is all about? Is it a secret code? A mini wormhole? A spaceship on a coffee break?

Well, dear digital explorer, the truth is both simpler and more fascinating than you might think. The "@" symbol, also known as the "at" symbol, has a storied history that dates back to the ancient times of... drumroll, please... 🥁 medieval monks! Yes, you read that right. Those scholarly monks from the days of quills and parchment were, in a way, the forefathers of our modern email.

Imagine a monk meticulously transcribing manuscripts. Now, as they copied text from one page to another, they often came across the Latin word "ad," which means "at" or "to." To save time and space (because parchment was basically their version of expensive printer paper), these monks would squish the letters "a" and "d" together, creating our beloved "@" symbol!

Fast forward to the world of telecommunication and early computer programming. The "@" symbol found a new purpose in the 20th century when it was adopted for use in Morse code as well as in telex machines. These machines were like the granddaddies of fax machines, sending messages across long distances using a series of beeps and boops. And guess what? The "@" symbol was right there in the mix, being all cryptic and cool.

But wait, there's more! The true rise to stardom for our curly hero happened with the birth of email. Ray Tomlinson, the programming genius who sent the first email in 1971, needed a way to separate the user's name from the host computer's name in email addresses. He remembered the "@" symbol from his telex days and thought, "Hey, this little guy could be the perfect divider!" And voila, the "@" symbol became the bridge between usernames and email domains.

So, why do we use the "@" symbol in emails? It's like a time traveler that's been on an epic journey from medieval manuscripts to Morse code machines, finally landing in your inbox. It's the symbol that unites Bob with his email provider, letting your message know exactly where to go.

And there you have it, my fellow digital explorers! The "@" symbol is more than just a squiggle; it's a symbol of connectivity that has bridged the past and present, from quill and parchment to smartphones and laptops. The next time you type in an email address, remember the long and quirky history of that little "@" symbol – a symbol that has traveled through time, space, and parchment to help you send that message to Bob about Friday's pizza night!

Its @Sam9999 again and by the way I just used "@" symbol, Sayonara, 🖐️

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3 comments
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Fascinating! I have wondered about the origins of this symbol before…I guess I just got a new wrinkle ;)

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Never knew that the @ symbol dated to such ancient times. Now I'll have to work on taking the image of a monk sending an email out of my head.

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