In 1998, the Prix Ars Electronica jury recognised “The Color of Email” by Andreas Trottmann (Net Based Art) with a Honorary Mention.
Sounds like the title of a novel. But it is an application; and a short story. And it is a piece of software. Version i.o. Of course it is in compliance with the year 2000. Let's call it a kind of short-ware. Not a soft-story.
About Andreas Trottmann
Andreas Trottmann (CH), born in 1975, turned his Amiga into a Fidonet node when he was a teenager, programmed C64, networked every computer he could get his hands on and devoted himself to the internet, especially text-oriented MUDs.
Programme information from Prix Ars Electronica Archive. Short excerpt quoted for reference; see the original page for full text, images and credits.