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Computer Spam Turns 30
Everyone who has an e-mail account has received unwanted, unsolicited junk messages known as “spam.” This is an insult to the makers of the canned pig flesh product of the same name as their spam is actually enjoyed by some people. The first acknowledged bit of e-mail spam arrived in in-boxes on May 3, 1978. Even then people weren’t happy about it.
The first spam actually predates the internet. According to the BBC, its Arpanet predecessor had 400 users (Wikipedia says 600) who received a market communication on behalf of DEC - a now-defunct computer-maker. Owing to software limitations, about half could actually read the message. The man who sent it was a marketing guy from DEC names Gary Thuerk.
The reaction left DEC’s hopes for new computer sales dashed. Major Raymond Czahor, Chief, Arpanet Management Branch, Defense Communications Agency, sent an email stating in all caps (which even then was meant as shouting):
ON 2 MAY 78 DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION (DEC) SENT OUT AN ARPANET MESSAGE ADVERTISING THEIR NEW COMPUTER SYSTEMS. THIS WAS A FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF THE USE OF ARPANET AS THE NETWORK IS TO BE USED FOR OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT BUSINESS ONLY. APPROPRIATE ACTION IS BEING TAKEN TO PRECLUDE ITS OCCURRENCE AGAIN. IN ENFORCEMENT OF THIS POLICY DCA IS DEPENDENT ON THE ARPANET SPONSORS, AND HOST AND TIP LIAISONS. IT IS IMPERATIVE YOU INFORM YOUR USERS AND CONTRACTORS WHO ARE PROVIDED ARPANET ACCESS THE MEANING OF THIS POLICY.
Needless to say, Major Czahor couldn’t prevent future abuses. In 1993, the junk e-mail got its name. Joel Furr, an administrator on the Usenet chat system dubbed it “spam,” after a Monty Python sketch in which numerous Vikings at a café interrupt with “Spam spam spam spam. Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!” every time the waitress mentions that spam is part of the cooked breakfast.
Now, somewhere around 80-85% of e-mail traffic is spam, and more than 100 billion useless messages are sent each day, usually from a hijacked computer whose owner is unaware of the abuse. The FBI thinks 75% of all net scams spring from junk e-mail. Last year, authorities estimate that $239 million went to these con artists. Thanks, Mr. Thuerk.
© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.
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