 Which came first? The World Wide Web or email? Most people don't realize email came long before the World Wide Web. Before the web came along, email worked much differently than today. Users needed to dial a rotary phone to connect to MicroNet and access the email web page. Academic researchers and government entities used email at the time. Consumer usage simply didn't exist until the internet came to fruition. We are certainly privileged by the internet and email system that we have today. And now you know!