To The Genius This May Concern,

Thank you.

Thank you a million times over for creating FaceTime. You really outdid yourself, and with what, I do not know; but give yourself a pat on the back. You have no idea how this helps so many people. Well, I guess maybe you do. I really don't know what sparked the concept of FaceTime.

Whether you had a long distance relationship or family member or maybe that you just wanted to get rich off of a really great software idea. Whatever your motive, it has been a gateway to keeping long distance friendships alive and even a way to call your doggy when you get homesick in college. Not to mention the number of military families this benefits.

Having someone in the military, or even just a family member who travels a lot for work can get to see his or her family as if he or she is really with them. Granted, it may not be the same as face-to-face, but it is SO much better than a simple text or even a phone call.

As a college student myself, FaceTime has truly been a blessing. When I graduated, all of my close friends scattered across the state and the country. FaceTime dates are things we look forward to and things I sometimes take for granted.

Growing up in the 21st century comes with a lot of advantages. In the earlier centuries, people had only the postal service to rely on for communication. While I still love writing and receiving snail mail (anyone who knows me can verify), having the convenience of being able to see someone face-to-face in a matter of seconds when you're many miles away is amazing.

I don't know when or where you first got the idea, but did you ever imagine how many people it would comfort? How many marriages you probably saved? How many families were held together with a tight bond? How many homesick college students you helped? How many long distance relationships have survived?

My guess is that you probably didn't. Which, in my opinion, makes it even more powerful. You saw a need for only a small amount of people and decided to do something about it -- not knowing that the small amount of people would grow into such a large population. You just so happened to find a temporary remedy for the broken heart of distance. But they say: distance makes the heart grow fonder.

From: A Homesick College Student That Misses Her Dog (I Mean Family)

P. S. To the person who created Skype, I'm talking to you as well. I don't know which came first, Skype or FaceTime, but props to whichever did. But I'm still giving credit to each of you because you both have helped so many people.