[net.mail] speaking of needed words

bees@drux3.UUCP (Ray Davis) (11/09/83)

Speaking of needed words for things (like truncation of article beginnings),
I have always felt a need for a simple word that identifies and distinguishes
electronic mail.  If I tell some one I will send them "mail" or that I sent
a "letter", I don't know if that means paper mail, or electronic mail.  To me,
"letter" means paper mail.  We need a similar word for electronic mail.
Since we of USENET are (of course) the ultimate in computer technology (heh,heh)
let's invent this needed word, and impose it upon the world!  What ya say?

     Ray Davis     AT&T Information Systems Laboratories     Denver
     {ihnp4|hogpc}!druxy!bees                         (303)538-3991

diamant@cwruecmp.UUCP (John Diamant) (11/10/83)

In response to the need for a word to distinguish between a letter and
electronic mail:  this word exists.  It is EMAIL (for electronic mail,
of course).


John Diamant				Usenet: ...decvax!cwruecmp!diamant
Case Western Reserve University		CSNet:  diamant@Case
Cleveland, Ohio				ARPA:   diamant.Case@Rand-Relay

ajs@hpfcla.UUCP (11/13/83)

#R:drux3:-87400:hpfcla:17200001:000:149
hpfcla!ajs    Nov 11 18:05:00 1983

The obvious word to coin for electronic mail is (are you ready for this?)...

	"email" 	which is pronounced "ee-mayl"

Has a certain ring to it, no?

mark@cbosgd.UUCP (Mark Horton) (11/15/83)

"email" is often used for the notion of electronic mail as a service.
However, I thought the original message asked for a term for a
particular electronic letter.

Ever since electronic mail started on the ARPANET, such electronic
letters have been called "messages".  It's too bad this isn't a
new word, but it's pretty standard now.