description Gary Thuerk Overview
Gary Thuerk is an American computer engineer and marketer who, while working for Digital Equipment Corporation, sent what is widely regarded as the first spam email on May 3, 1978. Using ARPANET, he transmitted an advertisement for DEC's new DECSYSTEM-20 computers to roughly 400 recipients at once, drawing complaints from network administrators. The incident made him a frequently cited reference point in the history of unsolicited commercial email.
help Gary Thuerk FAQ
Who sent the first spam email?
Gary Thuerk sent what is widely regarded as the first spam email. He was working as a computer engineer and marketer at Digital Equipment Corporation.
When was Gary Thuerk's famous email sent?
The message was sent on May 3, 1978. It used ARPANET, the early computer network that preceded the modern internet.
What was Gary Thuerk advertising?
The email advertised DEC's DECSYSTEM-20 computers. It was sent as a marketing message to roughly 400 recipients on ARPANET.
Why is Gary Thuerk important in internet history?
He is associated with the first widely recognized unsolicited mass marketing email. The event helped establish the pattern now known as spam, even though the word and modern scale of spam came later.
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