--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had e-mail in 1984! I had an e-mail…" description: "\"I had e-mail in 1984! I had an e-mail address then, which means that all you could write to was Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. There were three of us, writ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b8/penn-jillette-1046_addresses_i-had-e-mail-in-1984-i-had-an-e-mail-add_711454.png" --- # I had e-mail in 1984! I had an e-mail address then, which… ![“I had e-mail in 1984! I had an e-mail address then, which means that all you could write to was Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. There were three of us, writing to each other.” quote by Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b8/penn-jillette-1046_addresses_i-had-e-mail-in-1984-i-had-an-e-mail-add_711454.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b8/penn-jillette-1046_addresses_i-had-e-mail-in-1984-i-had-an-e-mail-add_711454.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b8/penn-jillette-1046_addresses_i-had-e-mail-in-1984-i-had-an-e-mail-add_711454.png) > “I had e-mail in 1984! I had an e-mail address then, which means that all you could write to was Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. There were three of us, writing to each other.” [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights early internet communication limits, showing how only a few tech leaders were reachable via email in 1984. **In simple terms:** Early email was limited to a few tech pioneers. Key Takeaway Recognize how communication tools shape access to influence. Themes technology communication history exclusivity Mood nostalgic reflective Type personal historical When to use this quote - personal anecdote - tech history - media analysis Key Concepts digital divide network effects Questions to Reflect On - How would broader email access have changed tech culture? - What does this say about early tech elitism? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1984 Mail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/1984-mail-5611128/) [Addresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addresses/) [Bills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bills/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gates/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Mail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mail/) [Mail 1984](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mail-1984-5611129/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other/) [Steve Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steve-job/) [Steve jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steve-jobs/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) [Write Steve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-steve-5611130/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [At any one time the world has a very limited number of Steve Jobs or Winston Churchills or Thomas Watson the firsts. These are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-kotter/at-any-one-time-the-world-has-a-very-limited-number-of-steve-jobs-or/) [John P. Kotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-kotter/) > [I met Steve Jobs once. In '06? He had a sense of humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/i-met-steve-jobs-once-in-06-he-had-a-sense-of-humor/) [Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/) > [Steve Jobs is perhaps the most competitive human being I have ever met in my life, and yet I would argue one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/steve-jobs-is-perhaps-the-most-competitive-human-being-i-have-ever/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [ He \[Steve Jobs\] had come from the surplus electronics parts world.So he came from that world, and he said let's sell PC boards for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/he-steve-jobs-had-come-from-the-surplus-electronics-parts-world-so-he/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [“Manage to keep the best people. Steve jobs feared what he named ‘the Bozo explosion’, that is a system in which the failure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/life-hacks-books/manage-to-keep-the-best-people-steve-jobs-feared-what-he-named-the/) [Life Hacks Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/life-hacks-books/) > [“But simplicity is not so simple to attain. Steve Jobs figured out that “you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/but-simplicity-is-not-so-simple-to-attain-steve-jobs-figured-out-that/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Rest in peace, Steve Jobs. Your genius will live on for generations to come...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/rest-in-peace-steve-jobs-your-genius-will-live-on-for-generations-to/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [At one point cinema and photography weren't treated as art. Now it's crazy to think they're not. The key question is "What is art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/at-one-point-cinema-and-photography-weren-t-treated-as-art-now-it-s/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [Steve Jobs was a great friend as well as a trusted advisor. His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-iger/steve-jobs-was-a-great-friend-as-well-as-a-trusted-advisor-his-legacy/) [Bob Iger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-iger/) > [I read the Steve Jobs book, and that kind of changed everything. I've been, like, an Apple geek my whole life and have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/i-read-the-steve-jobs-book-and-that-kind-of-changed-everything-i-ve/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [Steve Jobs was a real rock star to me. I looked forward to his products like people look forward to albums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/steve-jobs-was-a-real-rock-star-to-me-i-looked-forward-to-his/) [Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/) > [There's nothing nice about Steve Jobs and there's nothing evil about Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-peddle/there-s-nothing-nice-about-steve-jobs-and-there-s-nothing-evil-about/) [Chuck Peddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-peddle/) > [I'm not only a fan of Apple products, I have stock in the company. I think Steve Jobs has started one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-m-not-only-a-fan-of-apple-products-i-have-stock-in-the-company-i/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [The only thing Steve Jobs has ever asked me in all the years we've been together and have been partners, the only thing he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/the-only-thing-steve-jobs-has-ever-asked-me-in-all-the-years-we-ve/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Steve Jobs is someone I've studied inside and out, and I've applied so many of his techniques and philosophies to my businesses. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-blair/steve-jobs-is-someone-i-ve-studied-inside-and-out-and-i-ve-applied-so/) [Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-blair/) ## More by Penn Jillette > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I intend to do the Penn & Teller show until they pry my cheesy magic wand from my cold dead fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-intend-to-do-the-penn-teller-show-until-they-pry-my-cheesy-magic/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Part of the experience of being entertained is sitting back and plugging into someone else's vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/part-of-the-experience-of-being-entertained-is-sitting-back-and/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [That whole 99% thing, they are all in the 1% of the world. Every one of them pays a cellphone bill that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/that-whole-99-thing-they-are-all-in-the-1-of-the-world-every-one-of/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I will forever stick up for Catholics and Christians in general. With a small number of very horrible exceptions, they do play by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-will-forever-stick-up-for-catholics-and-christians-in-general-with/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I believe very much that the most damning thing you can say about Muslims is that you're afraid to say anything because they'll hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-believe-very-much-that-the-most-damning-thing-you-can-say-about/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I'm not bothered by the idea of getting old, or I guess you could say by having arrived at old. I was 10 when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-m-not-bothered-by-the-idea-of-getting-old-or-i-guess-you-could-say/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I'm always surprised when the corporate world does stupid things, because they're often not very stupid in hindsight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-m-always-surprised-when-the-corporate-world-does-stupid-things/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [It's only the losers named 'Dave' that think having an unusual name is bad, and who cares what they think? They're named 'Dave.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/it-s-only-the-losers-named-dave-that-think-having-an-unusual-name-is/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [The only secret of magic is that I'm willing to work harder on it than you think it's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/the-only-secret-of-magic-is-that-i-m-willing-to-work-harder-on-it/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Well, it's not really the right word, but freedom is kind of a hobby with me, and I have disposable income that I'll spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/well-it-s-not-really-the-right-word-but-freedom-is-kind-of-a-hobby/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [It is really funny to see people that you know acting unpleasantly just because there are TV cameras on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/it-is-really-funny-to-see-people-that-you-know-acting-unpleasantly/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [My whole take on libertarianism is simply that I don't know what's best for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/my-whole-take-on-libertarianism-is-simply-that-i-don-t-know-what-s/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Freedom means the right to be stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/freedom-means-the-right-to-be-stupid/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [“Once you've condoned faith in general, you've condoned any crazy shit done because of faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/once-you-ve-condoned-faith-in-general-you-ve-condoned-any-crazy-shit/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) [Explore all 302 Penn Jillette quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) ## More Addresses quotes > [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... 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There are many pressing challenges facing the international community, including the global financial crisis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-clark/senator-obama-will-be-taking-office-at-a-critical-juncture-there-are/) [Helen Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-clark/) [Browse all 1,100 Addresses quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addresses/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had e-mail in 1984! I had an e-mail address then, which means that all you could write to was Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. 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