Good article in The Guardian (UK) the other day:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/oct/23/internet-40-history-arpanet

I first corresponded over a network somewhere around 1973 - between Croydon and South Wales, using a Burroughs B6500, the Post Office network, and a TC500 terminal at each end. This wasn't strictly e-mail but I'm still quite chuffed as Croydon isn't exactly Silicon Valley.

And what did we say - naturally, "what's the weather like down there Taff?" "Oh, p*ssing it down". "You on overtime?" "Yeah". Not exactly "What God Hath Wrought".