Asynchronous Media - Email

Emailing is now such a way of life for many people that without it, communication would be sparse. I have found it to be one of the most useful tools for business, study and communicating with my friends.

It takes on many forms of identity, for example using hotmail you can access your emails worldwide, this has probably helped the most homesick traveller through difficult moments, the POP3 which is what I use on my PC which I flick in and out of daily and have deep and meaningful conversations with my closest friends and conduct business with some of my Clients (web stuff) and also run Committees and keep up to date with my fav shops (mailing lists) and my fav websites.

I use Rich Text Format which is easily accessible to most, as well as receiving HTML format from my Course Leader , and can reply to those who are using the Text Format.

I am a part of many a mailing list as well, some are annoying and I have yet to actually unsubscribe myself. But many are useful and informative about the things I am interested in.

Downsides - spam obviously this needs no explanation, although my ISP have been great at filtering this, I do get the occasion email about Viagra and what interesting body part enlargers I can purchase on line. Who does this??

Anyway other downsides, writing an emotional email late at night saying what you really think, then waking the morning and dreading your inbox. MMM I have done this, big mistake. This is a biggie, learning to write emails with the proper Netiquette. Lesson learnt the hard way. Emails are instant usually even though the recipient does not read them straight away, doesn't matter, once the send button is pressed and it has gone. That's it - they have it, you have a copy to read and cringe over. Rule of thumb never send messages angry, sad, emotional, drunk or any other form of intoxication. If you do sit on them for 24 hrs - my advice and my opinion only.

The Email Revolution may it long continue...