Email — Questions and answers

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What problem did Dr. Ray Tomlinson want to solve with computers?

Choices

  1. How to make computers process more data faster.
  2. How to help people send simple messages to each other on different computers. ✓
  3. How to build stronger mainframe computers for the ARPANET.
  4. How to share computing resources more easily between machines.

Answer: How to help people send simple messages to each other on different computers.

From page 1

What was a major limitation of the 'SNDMSG' program before Email?

Choices

  1. It could only send messages to people in a different building.
  2. Messages could only be sent between users on the exact same computer system. ✓
  3. It could send messages to any computer, but not to specific users.
  4. It was too complicated for most people to use.

Answer: Messages could only be sent between users on the exact same computer system.

From page 2

What was the main challenge Ray Tomlinson needed to solve to send messages across different computers?

Choices

  1. How to make computers faster at processing data.
  2. How to make sure messages were not too long.
  3. How to tell one user from another user if they had the same name but were on different machines. ✓
  4. How to connect more computers to the ARPANET.

Answer: How to tell one user from another user if they had the same name but were on different machines.

From page 3

What kind of work helped Ray Tomlinson understand how to create a person-to-person messaging system?

Choices

  1. He designed new computer keyboards.
  2. He studied how people communicate with each other in person.
  3. He developed network control programs and operating systems for ARPANET. ✓
  4. He taught people how to use old messaging programs.

Answer: He developed network control programs and operating systems for ARPANET.

From page 4

What was important about the special character Ray Tomlinson was looking for?

Choices

  1. It had to be a very complex symbol.
  2. It needed to be used often in people's names or computer names.
  3. It had to be on all standard keyboards and not commonly used in names. ✓
  4. It should only be visible to the computer, not to the user.

Answer: It had to be on all standard keyboards and not commonly used in names.

From page 5

Which symbol did Ray Tomlinson choose to separate a user's name from their computer's name in an email address?

Choices

  1. The question mark (?).
  2. The dollar sign ().
  3. The 'at' symbol (@). ✓
  4. The exclamation mark (!).

Answer: The 'at' symbol (@).

From page 6

How did researchers on the ARPANET react to Email when it first became available?

Choices

  1. They thought it was too slow compared to phone calls.
  2. They ignored it and kept using physical mail.
  3. They immediately saw its benefits and started using it a lot. ✓
  4. They found it confusing and didn't understand how to use it.

Answer: They immediately saw its benefits and started using it a lot.

From page 8

What did the "user@host" format become as ARPANET grew into the Internet?

Choices

  1. A secret code only used by scientists.
  2. A global standard for digital communication. ✓
  3. A temporary fix that was soon replaced.
  4. A way to share computer games.

Answer: A global standard for digital communication.

From page 9