Meet the 'internet radical' who helped Microsoft get email and AT&T get online

Tom Evslin, a key player in the early days of internet development, made significant contributions to both Microsoft and AT&T. At Microsoft, Evslin played a pivotal role in the development of Microsoft Exchange, a project aimed at countering the competition from Lotus Notes. He was one of the company's "internet radicals," advocating for deeper integration of Exchange with the internet.

Despite Bill Gates' initial reluctance, believing that focusing on the internet would delay other products, Evslin pressed ahead with the launch of Exchange, Outlook, and NT. He even went so far as to design SMTP gateways, enabling internet mail services that were rapidly gaining popularity. Meanwhile, at AT&T, Evslin served as a key advisor, helping the company navigate its nascent internet strategy.

He advocated for AT&T to become a leading Internet Service Provider (ISP), suggesting an all-you-can-eat pricing model, a departure from traditional proprietary networks. His foresight into voice over IP technology, however, was met with resistance within AT&T, leading him to found ITXC, a wholesale VoIP carrier, in 1997. Despite the challenges, Evslin's insights and innovations played a crucial role in shaping the internet landscape during its formative years.