It does not seem too long ago when communicating via a computer seemed outlandish – science fiction.  Back then, there was this notion called Telnet, where a computer user could log-in to a local internet hub, usually through that of a nearby university, for free.  That’s right.  And there weren’t cable or DSL lines connecting to the internet.  There were only phone lines and dial-up.
Telnet was a communications application used during the inception of internet use between universities and government agencies for communicating with another computer user at a remote location via what we now term as instant messaging.  Additionally, there weren’t web browsers or even windows application for internet connectivity.  There was only the DOS prompt.  It was through the infamous black screen that computer "experts" would type in DOS commands to dial into their universities internet hub, for example, access Telnet, then PING or "call" another internet user and hope they answer, assuming they too are logged-in to Telnet and waiting your call.
This was messaging at its origins.  Eventually, Netscape was developed, windows applications for internet browsing introduced and non-technical internet access was born.  You didn’t have to know DOS or wish to browse for internet data via a black screen and numbered listings.  Now there was point and click capabilities, images and intuitive design.  E-mail seemed to have been the first major technological break-through in terms of mass popularity for communications via computers.  Though messaging had already long ago been born, it wasn’t until much later that applications such as Microsoft’s Instant Messenger and AOL’s messaging capabilities slowly introduced this method of "instant email" to a broader audience.
Today, the most recent fad in terms of instant text messaging has come via mobile phones.   Even "dumb" phones are now capable of transmitting text messages from one mobile phone user to the next.