[LINK] It was twenty years ago today ...

[Adam Todd]

> > RFC 821:  Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
> > http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc821.html

That one is well documented.

> > The Internet using TCP/IP is nearly 20 (1 January 1983)
> > http://research.microsoft.com/~mbj/Smiley/Arpanet_Protocol_Thread.html

I'd have thought it was 1975 or there about's.  I recall the IP protocol 
being mentioned as in early development in ARPANET

> > The smiley :-) is 20 (19 September 1982) (at least, as far as anybody 
> knows) http://research.microsoft.com/~mbj/Smiley/Smiley.html

Not sure I'd buy that one.  It may well be.  I remember seeing Smileys 
first in about 1985 or 86.

>Indeed, all important. The mechanism (TCP/IP), the medium (SMTP), and
>the message (with human adaptations to overcome a main weakness, a lack
>of emotional cues in this text communication process, that being the Smiley).

And now look at the smiley versions!  I have a TXT downloaded in about 1992 
of all the THEN known Smiley's!  Wonder how many new ones there are?