But I'm not totally convinced either: email has been huge despite the configuration needed, also with people who had to take it step by step twice and make notes while doing it. Some figured it out on their own (or more realistically using the step by instructions that came bundled with their first modem). Other had a son or a grandson who'd picked it up at school. Others got it at work.

My grandparents where the youngest group of people I can think of that didn't have access to email somehow.

And my wifes grandparents have/had access to mail and used actual mail clients too, not just Hotmail or Gmail.