[ih] Early Internet history

[Leo Vegoda]

On 6 July 2018 at 11:25, Richard Bennett <richard at bennett.com> wrote:
> Presumably paper replaced clay tablets because it was lighter and therefore
> faster to carry. Among other things.

Cheap paper was an outcome of the development of steam powered
machinery. Until the 19th century, most paper was made from recycled
textile fibres and until weaving was industrialized, textiles were
expensive. Weavers in Britain would often pin pound notes to their hat
to demonstrate their wealth!

Papyrus is relatively light and was used from about 5,000(ish) years
ago but clay tablets continued to be used into the Iron Age. Such an
overlap suggests that there were considerations beyond the weight of
the messages to be sent.