[ih] deterioration of email (was Re: clever usc creation)

[Greg Skinner]

On Jul 29, 2026, at 3:34 PM, Jack Haverty <jack at 3kitty.org> wrote:
> 
> I have accounts on a few social media sites and saw "DM" on one of them.  Probably Facebook.  I think it is jargon for Direct Message, which is a private communication between two people -- just like traditional email.
> 

Hmmm …

When I think of messaging, I think of short-form communication over short time periods.  On the other hand, I think of email as longer form over longer time periods that is also amenable to group communication.  That doesn’t mean they can’t be used interchangeably.

Possibly, my early experiences online (starting from 1980, having guest accounts that gave me access to groups like header-people) have shaped my thinking.  If I had started earlier, as you did, and had direct experience with Licklider, I might view messaging and email the same way you do.

--gregbo