Is Email Dying
July 21, 2009 by Jason Bean
Filed under Computers
I’ve been hearing a variety of discussions lately about changes in technology and the changes that are coming around as part of generational changes. I’ve heard from numerous parents that tell me their kids don’t email anymore. They communicate via text messages and Facebook and twitter, but email is old school and too slow.
Email too slow?
Is email too slow? I don’t really think so, but it’s clearly not instant in the timing that’s provided by twitter and text messages. I find myself texting messages to people more lately instead of making a phone call. One of those reasons is because I can send and receive messages quietly.
The irony though is that an actual phone call is the most real-time method of communicating with someone other than face-to-face conversations. It must not be the timing that makes one communication more popular than another method. So what is it?
Are these methods just popular because they’re new and everyone else is doing it? Are we merely communicating with each other as a mass crowd of peer pressured individuals? What are we looking for in communication through technology? Are we truly interested in exchanging messages and ideas, or are we just doing what allows us to stay connected to the technology we love so much.
I don’t think email is going away, but I’m sure 10 years ago people wouldn’t have looked at the fax machine as becoming as obsolete as it almost is now. What would it take to kill-off email for good? What would take its place?
Telepathy perhaps?
I prefer making calls than doing text messaging; in my opinion, it’s more quicker to communicate and I don’t have to bother with typing out whole conversations or messages. Also, sometimes part of the communication is lost in text messaging because we often type just enough words to get to the point, but we don’t express ourselves clearly.
With a phone call, you can quickly and easily express the point you want, without having to wait so long for a reply.
E-mails will stay. They’re still a good way of communicating and sending attachments. It’s just that IM is more convenient if there’s not a lot to catch up on, or is someone is available at the moment. I’m saying this as a teenager too.