Email or Letters?

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Which do you prefer email or letters. Of course email is more convenient but there's something nice about receiving a letter!

-- Tim (tim@newmail.net), August 26, 1999

Answers

Love letters.

-- smallkat (smallkat@hotmail.com), August 26, 1999.

Letters. Of course I never get any, but I don't get much e-mail, either (hint hint to any of my readers who may be reading this)!

-- Katie Trame (katie@misanthrope.org), August 26, 1999.

Well, e-mail is nice and easy and convenient and whatnot, but you're right, you do get a special feeling when someone takes the time to write you a letter. Case in point: I received a card from a college friend in New Jersey last Friday, and she had written a mini-letter to me inside the card. (She also enclosed some pictures she had taken of our mutual circle of friends, but now I'm straying from the topic.) I still remember Dad sifting through the just-arrived mail and handing me an envelope and saying, "Jackie from Jersey?" My response: "Eeeee!" (don't worry, 'twas a sound of jubilation), and I snatched the card out of his hands.

Okay, setup aside, here's what I'm getting at: I knew the only proper way to respond to this was by writing a letter back to her (as I had many things to say and I knew e-mail wouldn't do them any justice), but I was also tempted to dash off a quick e-mail saying, "Hey, thanks for the card and the pics, I got a lot to tell you, so expect a letter soon." I didn't do that, though, because I knew that even with the promise of a letter I would just leave it at the e-mail and let it slide.

Well, I should get going, I guess I have a letter to write... =^)

-- Tim (ratgoalie1@hotmail.com), August 26, 1999.


Ummm... did I even answer the question?

Okay, here's the Readers' Digest version: Letters make me feel good (since the sender actually took the time to sit down and write), but I do prefer e-mail for its convenience. (BTW, I also feel good when someone I haven't talked to in a while -- or a reader announcing his/her presence, hint hint -- sends an e-mail, but snail mail is still cool because of the effort factor.)

Cliff Notes version of Readers' Digest version: Snail mail good, e- mail good, e-mail wins in sudden death overtime.

-- Tim (ratgoalie1@hotmail.com), August 26, 1999.


Even farther away from my full name. But! I love the new mail sound we have on our computer. I love getting new e-mail. And I rarely get snail mail, except from my grandmother. Which is nice. And I do appreciate it when people who e-mail me send me things in the mail. However, I can't mail letters without crossing the street at lights, so I don't like to do that. Which is why I prefer sending e-mails. But as for receiving them... I'm impartial.

-- Sarah Joy (bursa@cgocable.net), August 26, 1999.


I think when you get right down to it, most people do prefer letters over e-mail. They have a more personal feel, and it's kind of nice thinking someone spent a stamp just to get their thoughts to you. Pen- pals are fun..

Sigh. No one sends me e-mail, either. And oftentimes when I send e- mail to owners of journals or something - just people I'm emailing out of the blue that don't know me - I feel kind of stupid, because I oftentimes don't get replies. I mean, they're probably just busy and all, but then I start thinking that the lack of correspondence is a signal that they've considered me an idiot they don't want to waste their time with. Or something. Oh well.

I like letters.

-- Rebecca (peka@att.net), August 26, 1999.


Well, I'd have to say that I definately prefer recieving letters, it just makes me feel more special. I mean, I get loads of e-mails a day, of course they are all for stupid things, like inproving my credit balance, cheap Viagra, making money on the Internet, but that is beside the point. But I like to recieve snail mail more than e- mail, although I like recieving e-mail too!

-- Wendie J (wendie@alloymail.com), August 26, 1999.

I used to get little notes, letters and cards from someone and loved those things...enough to save them in a box. There is something about a letter handwritten on stationary, or in a card especially picked for me. You can always look at letters years later, and get that good feeling back. Emails are good for quick notes, keeping in touch with email pals, but they definately aren't as personal. For someone you like, I'd recommend spending the stamp, and get some nice paper to write on.... I can still smell some of those letters I would get.

-- Greg Barber (gbarber@gbdesigns.com), August 27, 1999.

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