I have had the privilege of corresponding with ‘the red shirt’ and ‘the blue python’. For the benefit of the readers, the red shirt and the blue python happen to be people I know very well. It is just that, they really enjoy hiding behind the strange names. Names that make people notice. And what more? Remember them! They are the first part of the email ids – just two of the scores of mail ids that we all deal with.

There was once a time, when the postal address was what led those mails to us. We wrote and re-wrote a person’s address so many times that they came to us quite naturally as we closed the envelope and glued the stamp. Other times, we had the address book, that jumped to our rescue — with the names and the whereabouts, neatly arranged in alphabetic order. It was all simple because, we dealt with real names and real people. We admired the astonishing skill of the postman, who could find any part of the city with ease.

Then, when Post Office Box number came into vogue, I almost gasped in amazement. I couldn’t believe that a simple number against the name could prompt the posts to find their way.

For a long time, I thought, it was one of the simplest and the best innovation of man because it reduced the postman’s labour to a great extent. Who knew, at that time, that, the postman’s job would almost become redundant? Also, by no stretch of imagination, could I envision a day when I could have an imaginary name and the posts would reach me just fine.

I arrived into cyberspace only 18 years ago. I was thrilled to have a digital address with my name. My good old letter writing skills spilled over to my emails and there I was tapping my fingers on the keyboard with the joy of knowing that the person on the other end would receive it in no time.

Not met for a long time

Very soon, I had a huge number of people to whom I could write. I received mails from people whom I had not met for a long time and I was over the moon. I received emails by the dozen – and that is when I noticed the mysterious email IDs that always brought a smile to my lips.

Even as I was getting used to emailing, I was introduced to social networking by a friend. I now, swung through my life balancing between emails and social networking. But I faced a problem. The most fashionable way to make a statement, I realised, was to type those words most of which are misspelt.

For an old-timer who is stickler for grammar, rules and spelling, it can be quite trying. The messages are hugely encrypted and sometimes come in just 140 characters. I have to accept, I fumble, stagger and then, I take refuge in Google. ‘Ah!’, I then, nod understanding and getting a grip of what’s being told. From pages of written lines to 140 characters, it has indeed been a long and incredible journey.

Social networking

For me and for my friends, such as the red shirt and the blue python, we are still stuck with the good old days of emailing — although, our mails are reduced to some forwarded message that is being circulated for the eighth time in five years. But, I am sure, these messages will soon be broadcast on social networking sites.

I am now, on the verge of taking the leap – to the world of micro blogging. But before that, I face a challenge — to learn the internet slang list of acronyms and twittery. Who knows? It could be the next future and I don’t want to be left in the dark.

 

Sudha Subramanian is an independent journalist based in Dubai.