Tuesday, April 21, 2009

E-mail, Explained


The first thing I thought when I saw this vintage ad explaining "Electronic Mail" was "That's exactly how e-mail must seem to my Dad." My Dad struggles with the internet, I think because he can't make the conceptual leap that he needs to understand how the desktop, icons and mouse function. He is just a paper and pencil kind of guy, smart and capable when it comes to most things that don't involve browser windows.

I also like that the guy in this picture is freaking out, because clearly this e-mail came from Dimension X and is going to destroy him. It's funny to think of a time when e-mail was mysterious and frightening, since it's such a basic and necessary part of all our lives, and something that, without, I would surely perish.

Although I do love how they're like "No more mountains of paperwork!" but make no mention of the mountains of messages in your inbox. Also, I don't see anything about Nigerian princes who need your help collecting their inheritance, but maybe that's just an oversight.

Honeywell email ad from the dawn of time -- Boing Boing Gadgets