Weird Spam just received from Forum

[Opening Day]

Originally Posted by John Dunkle

Actually - it used to be - way back when....

And an e-mail program used to be called MUA (Mail User Access) - as with Prodigy, FIDO and other character based systems - your MUA would determine what e-mails you could read....

Best to ya' Eric!

John

Ok, so it use to be called that, so where did they come up with the name "spam" ? Just trying to understand the "techies" mind... I know it's probably imposible to understand how your guys minds work....!

[Bindlestiff]

Originally Posted by Eric Eis

Ok, so it use to be called that, so where did they come up with the name "spam" ? Just trying to understand the "techies" mind... I know it's probably imposible to understand how your guys minds work....!

Here is the history of "spam" (http://www.thocp.net/reference/internet/spam.htm ) if you are really interested But, be aware that if you are not a techie, you may no get much out of this. In quick summary, nobody knows for sure where or why "spam" originated with regard to email.

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

How about from the Korean War?

Spam was what troops were frequently fed but none them wanted it!

[wayne goerres]

Wow. Kind of wished that I hadn't asked.

[TARNATION !!!]

Originally Posted by Eric Eis

Ok, so it use to be called that, so where did they come up with the name "spam" ? Just trying to understand the "techies" mind... I know it's probably imposible to understand how your guys minds work....!

In an effort to answer Eric's plea

Spam defined with origin ascribed CLICK

Extensive wikipedia dissertation on spam CLICK

A clip from the (in)famous Monty Python sketch CLICK

Evolution from culinary delight to computer disgust

[John D.]

Wow - I haven't read all the replies yet (but I will )...

Anyway, in the early 90's e-mail SPAM actually started.... I started my first e-mail list discussion in '94 - and recently before that, another list manager had accidentally "copied" all his list users - probably about 200 - 400 folks - with a single unsolicited message. There was an event on DARPA as well, just before that as well...

The name "SPAM" grew out of two common beliefs that it would be pervasive (which it certainly is), and you never know what it really contains until you open it.. Anyway - a favorite TV show (UK) - was Marty Python's Flying Circus and it had a famous clip about SPAM (I'll link it below if I can find it) - so, UBE was "nicknamed" SPAM amongst techies, and the trade press "sealed the deal" (I believe it was Digital Review, now defunct - which did another follow up story to the DARPA UBE and referred to it as "SPAM")...

Anyway...

[Dean Romig]

I LOVE IT !!! Thanks John!

[wayne goerres]

There is absolutly no end to the educational value of this forum. It transends all others.

[John D.]

Originally Posted by wayne goerres

There is absolutly no end to the educational value of this forum. ....

And some of the information isn't really all that relevant, either..?? HA!

For example - if you look at the Fidonet and Echomail message sending structures - those were the precursor to forums such as these... I remember logging into my first Fidonet BBS in the mid-80s... And, sending my first e-mail with an attachment with Echomail...

My first "personal computer" computer was a Tandy TRS-80 Model I in 1978.. 4KB of memory and the storage was a cassette tape recorder and a 300 BAUD modem for "communications" (you used the telephone handset to make the connection??!!!). I would program the Z80 in machine language (Zilog Z80, CP/M and basic..)

Before that - I used to write programs on a PDP-11, while in high school.....?

Ahhh - the good old days

John

[Dean Romig]

What, no Commodore 64?