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  1. 10-03-2016, 08:43 PM #1
    Kurgen
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    Ever wondered why we use the @ sign for email addresses?

    IT'S the most iconic symbol of the internet but where did the @ symbol come from and we do we use it?

    The @ sign is the universal sign of electronic communication and has evolved on social media platforms such as Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook to communicate directly to someone.

    It was previously used in business to represent "at the rate of" until Ray Tomlinson, the inventor of email, changed all of that back in 1971.

    He was the first person to use "at" symbol when sending electronic messages while working as an engineer in Boston, USA, for research Boston based company Bolt Beranek and Newman.

    Tomlinson chose to include the @ symbol in email addresses after looking for a character that would separate the user's name from the name of the computer.

    In a 2012 interview with Wired, the computer genius explained his choice: "I looked at the keyboard, and I thought: ‘What can I choose here that won’t be confused with a username?’”

    “If every person had an ‘@’ sign in their name, it wouldn’t work too well. But they didn’t. They did use commas and slashes and brackets. Of the remaining three or four characters, the ‘@’ sign made the most sense. It denoted where the user was at. Excuse my English.”

    The internet pioneer, who was originally from Amsterdam, New York, died on March 5, aged 74.

    Ever wondered why we use the @ sign for email addresses? Here's the reason
    I would post pictures but life's too short.
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  2. 11-03-2016, 01:58 AM #2
    wasabi
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    On the older typewriter keyboard was there an @ key
    He used an existing symbol, but how long had it been around before he used it.
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  3. 11-03-2016, 02:04 AM #3
    Looper
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kurgen
    Ever wondered why we use the @ sign for email addresses?
    Nope.

    But if I was forced to hazard a guess I would probably say something like...

    Quote Originally Posted by Kurgen
    the ‘@’ sign made the most sense. It denoted where the user was at.
    Which amazingly turns out to be the right answer.
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  4. 11-03-2016, 07:11 AM #4
    BaitongBoy
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    Let's meet for a beer @ On Nut Fight Club...

    And history was made...
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  5. 11-03-2016, 08:08 AM #5
    Cujo
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    Quote Originally Posted by Looper View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Kurgen
    Ever wondered why we use the @ sign for email addresses?
    Nope.

    But if I was forced to hazard a guess I would probably say something like...

    Quote Originally Posted by Kurgen
    the ‘@’ sign made the most sense. It denoted where the user was at.
    Which amazingly turns out to be the right answer.
    Actuall not.
    @ originally had nothing to do with 'at' as in at a location but. as the article says 'at the rate of'.
    As in 12 bottles of Chang @ 50B per bottle.
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  6. 11-03-2016, 08:18 AM #6
    thaimeme
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cujo View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Looper View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Kurgen
    Ever wondered why we use the @ sign for email addresses?
    Nope.

    But if I was forced to hazard a guess I would probably say something like...

    Quote Originally Posted by Kurgen
    the ‘@’ sign made the most sense. It denoted where the user was at.
    Which amazingly turns out to be the right answer.
    Actuall not.
    @ originally had nothing to do with 'at' as in at a location but. as the article says 'at the rate of'.
    As in 12 bottles of Chang @ 50B per bottle.

    ...or, the old yesteryear price of 3 bottles @ B100
    Those were the days.
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  7. 11-03-2016, 09:40 AM #7
    Cujo
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    Quote Originally Posted by thaimeme View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Cujo View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Looper View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Kurgen
    Ever wondered why we use the @ sign for email addresses?
    Nope.

    But if I was forced to hazard a guess I would probably say something like...

    Quote Originally Posted by Kurgen
    the ‘@’ sign made the most sense. It denoted where the user was at.
    Which amazingly turns out to be the right answer.
    Actuall not.
    @ originally had nothing to do with 'at' as in at a location but. as the article says 'at the rate of'.
    As in 12 bottles of Chang @ 50B per bottle.

    ...or, the old yesteryear price of 3 bottles @ B100
    Those were the days.
    That doesn't seem right either.
    That would be 3 bottles for 100 @ 33.333 per bottle.
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  8. 11-03-2016, 10:23 AM #8
    Looper
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cujo
    Actuall not. @ originally had nothing to do with 'at' as in at a location but. as the article says 'at the rate of'.
    Here you go

    Quote Originally Posted by Kurgen
    the ‘@’ sign made the most sense. It stands for the word 'at' and the word 'at' (in a different sense) denotes where the user was at in a locative sense.
    March 2016 pedantry award goes to Cujo

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  9. 11-03-2016, 11:54 AM #9
    Cujo
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    Quote Originally Posted by Looper View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Cujo
    Actuall not. @ originally had nothing to do with 'at' as in at a location but. as the article says 'at the rate of'.
    Here you go

    Quote Originally Posted by Kurgen
    the ‘@’ sign made the most sense. It stands for the word 'at' and the word 'at' (in a different sense) denotes where the user was at in a locative sense.
    March 2016 pedantry award goes to Cujo

    Thank you...thank you very much.
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  10. 11-03-2016, 12:08 PM #10
    Ozcol
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    "Actuall not" But not the spelling award.
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  11. 11-03-2016, 01:22 PM #11
    DrB0b
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    Quote Originally Posted by wasabi View Post
    On the older typewriter keyboard was there an @ key
    He used an existing symbol, but how long had it been around before he used it.
    Became common on typewriters about 1900.
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