Email is remarkable form of communication. It is even older than the Internet itself. How has email changed our lives? How will it change in the future?
Origins and Evolution of Email
Contrary to popular belief, Hotmail wasn't the first email provider. The first email system was MAILBOX, a technology that was developed by a team of computer scientists at MIT in 1965. This system was developed over 20 years before the Internet was commercially available.
MAILBOX allowed CTSS users to send messages to each other. Messages on each end were private, so other users couldn't read or delete them. While it was a remarkable development at the time, it lacked most of the features of modern email providers. Users couldn't have subject lines, attach files, forward messages or send messages to more than one other CTSS user.
Another breakthrough took place in 1969 – the development of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET). ARPANET was the first network to utilize TCP/IP technology. This technology would be the basis for the modern Internet.
Four years later, Bob Metcalfe invented Ethernet. For the first time ever, multiple computers could be connected with each other. To this day, Ethernet is still the most commonly used LAN protocol in the world. It paved the way for more sophisticated email systems than the one developed at MIT.
ARPANET and Ethernet technology was initially reserved for university research and military applications. That all changed in the early 1980s. MCI Mail was the first email service that was available to the public. Hotmail, Gmail and other email services were later introduced.
Disposable Email Providers Now (and Beyond)
Email has evolved considerably over the past 50 years. Since it is so widely used, many people are worried about protecting their identities.
Many email providers have started offering disposable email addresses. Disposable email addresses serve a few purposes. They can be used by anonymous whistleblowers or by people that want to send controversial messages. Here are some worth checking out.
Countermail
Countermail lets you send emails that are protected by 4096 bit encryption. You need to pay to keep your email more than a week. However, if you want to have an encrypted email for more than 24 hours, you may want to look into this service. It takes a while to setup though.
MeltMail
MeltMail lets you create a temporary email for a specified period of time (up to 24 hours). Unlike many other temporary email services, it permanently forwards emails to your real email address until the time period elapses.
Hotmail
Hotmail started providing disposable emails in 2011. The process is very straightforward.
First, you need to click the "settings" icon in the left sidebar. Then you need to click "create a Hotmail alias."
Outlook
Outlook began offering disposable emails in 2013. Here are the steps Outlook users need to take to create a temporary email address:
- Select "Manage Rules" icon
- Click on "Sweeps"
- Go to the first field and add the "+" operator before the alias they would like to use
It is as simple as that.
Email on Deck
Email on Deck lets you setup temporary emails for up to a day. It closely resembles most other email services, so your email will be less likely to be flagged as spam.
TrashMail
TrashMail is very similar to MeltMail, except that it allows you to create temporary emails for more than 24 hours. However, you need to pay a little over $1 a month to access the premium features. You can setup up to 2,500 temporary emails.
Conclusion
Setting up a temporary email address can be a great way to protect your privacy. Which of these services should you use?
Email on Deck is generally the most versatile and secure service that requires little time to setup. However, if you want an email service with better security, then Countermail is probably your best bet. It will take a lot more time to create an account though.