{
  "id": 36310,
  "title": "Meet the 'internet radical' who helped Microsoft get email and AT&T get online",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/meet-the-internet-radical-who-helped-microsoft-get-email-and-at-t-get-36310",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-02T07:11:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Register",
    "slug": "the-register",
    "url": "https://www.theregister.com/offbeat/2026/08/02/meet-the-internet-radical-who-helped-microsoft-get-email-and-att-get-online/5281281"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "Tom Evslin, a key figure in the early development of internet technologies at AT&T, played a crucial role in shaping Microsoft's approach to email and online services. As one of Microsoft's \"internet radicals\" in the early 1990s, Evslin was instrumental in the creation of Microsoft Exchange Server, which aimed to counter the growing influence of Lotus Notes. Despite initial disagreements with Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, who prioritized other projects over deep internet integration, Evslin's vision for an SMTP gateway to connect email systems over the internet proved prescient. His foresight into the growing demand for internet-based email services foreshadowed the eventual success of Outlook, which incorporated advanced formatting capabilities. Evslin's contributions extended beyond Microsoft, as he later advised AT&T on its internet strategy, advocating for a more open, all-you-can-eat pricing model to compete with emerging internet service providers.",
  "key_points": [
    "Tom Evslin contributed to Microsoft's Microsoft Exchange development.",
    "Evslin advocated for AT&T to become a leading Internet Service Provider.",
    "He founded ITXC, a wholesale VoIP carrier, in 1997."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Register Science",
        "title": "Meet the 'internet radical' who helped Microsoft get email and AT&T get online",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/meet-the-internet-radical-who-helped-microsoft-get-email-and-at-t-get",
        "published": "2026-08-02T07:11:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}