Advantages of email over regular mail. Pros and cons of email

E-mail turned out to be in many ways more convenient than regular, “paper” mail.

Not to mention the fact that you don't have to get up from your computer and walk to your mailbox to receive or send an email:

• - in most cases, a message is delivered by e-mail much faster than by regular mail;
• - it costs less;
• - to send a letter to several recipients, you do not need to print it in many copies; you just need to enter the text into the computer once;
• - if you need to re-read, correct a letter you received or composed, or use excerpts from it, this is easier to do, since the text is already in the machine;
• - it is more convenient to store a large number of letters in a file on a disk than in a desk drawer; it is easier to search in the file;
• - and finally, paper is saved.

Reliability Email strongly depends on what email programs are used, how far the sender and recipient of the letter are from each other, and especially on whether they are on the same network or on different ones. In our conditions, it is perhaps better to rely on email than regular mail. If the letter is still lost, you can find out about it soon enough and send a new one.

This is the most popular use of the Internet in our country today. Estimates say that there are over 50 million email users in the world. In general, worldwide email traffic ( smtp protocol) occupies only 3.7% of the entire network. Its popularity is explained both by pressing requirements and by the fact that most connections are “on-call access” class connections (from a modem), and in Russia, in general, in the vast majority of cases, UUCP access is used. E-mail is available with any type of Internet access.

E-mail (Electronic mail) - electronic mail (colloquial - an electronic analogue of regular mail. With its help you can send messages, receive them in your email Mailbox, respond to letters from your correspondents automatically, using their addresses, based on their letters, send copies of your letter to several recipients at once, forward a received letter to another address, use logical names instead of addresses (numeric or domain names), create several subsections of the mailbox for various types of correspondence, include in letters text files, use the "mail reflector" system to conduct discussions with a group of your correspondents, etc. From the Internet, you can send mail to adjacent networks if you know the address of the corresponding gateway, the format of its requests, and the address on that network.

Using e-mail, you can use ftp asynchronously. There are many servers that support such services. You send an e-mail to the address of such a service containing a command from this system, for example, give a listing to a certain directory, or send such and such a file to you, and you automatically receive an e-mail response with this listing or the required file. In this mode, it is possible to use almost the entire set of commands regular ftp. There are servers that allow you to receive files via FTP not only from themselves, but from any FTP server that you specify in your e-mail.

E-mail makes it possible to conduct teleconferences and discussions. For this purpose, mail reflectors installed on some node working machines are used. You send a message there with instructions to subscribe you to such and such a reflector (discussion, conference, etc.), and you begin to receive copies of the messages that the discussion participants send there. The mail reflector simply sends copies of emails to all subscribers upon receipt.

E-mail makes it possible to use in asynchronous mode not only ftp, but also other services that have similar servers that provide such services. For example, network news, Archie, Whois.

You can also send by e-mail binary files, not only text ones. In UNIX, for example, the programs UUENCODE and UUDECODE are used for this.

When using e-mail, due to its efficiency, you may get the feeling telephone communication, but you should always be aware that this is still mail. All messages are written, so they are almost documented. Adhere to normal correspondence etiquette. In addition to this, remember that e-mail does not have the same degree of privacy as regular mail, never write anything in e-mail messages that you would not want to see displayed for everyone to see.

Anonymity is also excluded: the source can be traced without difficulty. Not worth using technical features your terminal.

When the ARPANET first entered the arena, its designers expected that the predominant traffic (that is, the amount of information transferred between nodes) would be process-to-process. They were wrong. To their great surprise, the volume of e-mail between people overwhelmed the volume of communication between processes. While snow, rain, heat could stop postal couriers The ARPANET's ability to carry messages from the West Coast of the United States to the East Coast within seconds began revolutionizing communications.

The main attraction of email is its speed. However, there are other benefits that are not so widely known. The phone also provides almost instantaneous access, but studies have shown that about 75% phone calls end unsuccessfully (“I’m very sorry, but Mr. Smith is in a meeting/went on a business trip/left the room”). Email has the same access speed as the telephone, but does not require both subscribers to be present at the same time on different ends telephone line. In addition, she leaves a written copy of the message, which can be saved or passed on. Moreover, a letter can be sent to several subscribers at the same time.

Let's assume that you are lucky and become the proud owner personal computer. You have composed a message for your subscriber - you have entered the text into the computer, prepared a file containing some program or, for example, graphic data for transmission, indicated the address and, having picked up the phone, sent your letter over the telephone line. Is the subscriber not at home? No problem: the letter will reach him as soon as he turns on his computer. Is his phone busy? It’s also not scary: as soon as the line is free, he will be able to receive your message, even if you hung up the phone a long time ago. There is only one exaggeration in this seemingly fantastic story. Pick up the phone and dial phone number it won't be you, but a very intelligent electronic device called a modem. In the simplest case, the transmission of your letter will occur as follows: first, according to the standard procedure you launch, your modem will try to contact the modem installed on the mail machine (analogue - Postal office communications). In RelCom this is done discussed in our guide software package UUPC.

As soon as the connection is established, your subscriber point (your computer) will be identified, your password will be checked, and the information you have prepared will be transferred. After this, your modem will hang up.

You can calmly go about your business, and at this time the postal machine will check how correct address you indicated, and if everything is in order, it will try to contact your subscriber. As soon as two modems - the mail modem and your subscriber - "agree", your message will be transmitted. An exchange of information took place.

The convenience of such a means of communication can hardly be overestimated. Speed, ease, ability to transmit information of any volume anywhere in the world.

Although email may be considered special case file transfer, it has a number of features that are not usual for standard procedures transferring files. First, the sender and recipient are almost always people, not machines. This means that an email system consists of two distinct but closely interrelated parts: one for human interaction (eg, composing, editing, reading messages), and the other for message transmission (eg, mailing to lists, facilitating transmission).

Another Difference Between Email and File Transfer Tools general purpose is that postal messages are a clearly structured document. In many systems, each message is accompanied by big amount additional fields. These include the name and address of the sender, the name and address of the recipient, the date and time the letter was sent, the list of people to whom a copy of the letter was sent, the level of significance, the degree of secrecy, and much more.

E-mail, or e-mail, is now a very necessary and even mandatory thing, if we take into account the context of some business and everyday tasks of the average user. For example, when you urgently need to tell someone something (good or bad!), deliver a report on the work done, send copies of documents, etc.

And who would argue that this is not so. However, like any other technology, object, attribute, subject, in general, anything, Internet mail has its advantages and disadvantages. What they are, these “pros” and “cons”, is what this article will tell you.

By the way, knowing the advantages and disadvantages of email will come in handy more than once or twice while using it. It will help you get rid of vulnerabilities, properly establish the level of security, and, well, configure the most in a convenient way profile for your needs. Plus, you will learn something else about how the “paper” postal service is inferior to computer e-mail. What functional features it has that are attractive to the average person?

So, we begin the review!

Advantages

Let's start our story with the good, with the barrel of honey, leaving the bad, in fact, the fly in the ointment, for later. If suddenly a protest flashed in your mind, like “How can this be! Does e-mail really have negative characteristics?”, then don’t rush to get upset. Looking ahead, let's say there are such moments, but some of them can be removed, corrected, etc.

Simplicity

The electronic format of online communication, compared to the usual one, is completely devoid of paperwork and the need to buy envelopes and stamps. I logged in to the mailbox, wrote a letter if necessary, attached a file to it, clicked the “Send” button and that’s it - the job was done.

Speed

A moment or two after sending, the addressee, or recipient, will already be viewing your message on their display. And it doesn’t matter where he lives - in a neighboring yard or across the ocean, on the other side of the planet. This is the power of the Internet!

Working with data

Among the advantages of e-mail, priority is given to the ability to send files of almost any format and at the same time save them on the service server. Each user can be provided with 5, 10, 100 GB of free space on a remote disk.

Saving money

The lion's share of e-mail is in the category free services online. That is, by registering with them, you do not transfer money to anyone and do not pay every month for using the box. The only exceptions in this aspect are premium accounts with extended functionality and individual specialized services(for example, for doing business).

Bulk mailing

If you need to send out important information a certain circle of people, you will not need to copy the letter multiple times and send it separately to each participant. To solve this problem, you only need to indicate all recipient addresses in the sending form. That's all!

Sorting

If you receive great amount letters and send the same number of them, your e-mail profile will not let you get confused in them. Incoming and outgoing messages can be sorted by date, tags, recipient. In addition to this, you can instantly find the desired letter using internal search if you list its characteristics (subject, author, words of their content, etc.) in the query line.

Minimum funds

To work with e-mail, you only need a stable Internet connection (not necessarily with high speed) and a device running an OS (computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet).

Safety

Postal services reliably protect accounts and “dispatches” from theft, hacking, and alteration. But provided that the user complies with all safety measures.

Graphics and editing tools

Design tools are the advantages of email, which also most attract ordinary users. In fact, every service has functions for editing and editing text, special options for inserting and editing images (including animated ones in GIF format). This feature makes it possible to send beautiful, colorful congratulatory letters with postcards to loved ones and friends, send potential clients advertising your goods and services.

Mobility

Thanks to the devices, your e-mail will always be at hand. You can easily view correspondence in the mailbox on your phone or tablet by providing its credentials (username and password).

Flaws

Well, we have listed the main advantages, now it’s time to find out what disadvantages online mail has and how they can be eliminated (and, in general, whether this can be done).

Advertising on the Internet was, is and will be. It is omnipresent and, of course, present in e-mail. Whether the user wants it or not, along with useful correspondence he receives advertising letters, or “spam”; sometimes even in fair quantities. Some of them are harmless - they contain only a commercial offer. And others are dangerous - they contain viruses.

Probability of hacking

There is no 100% guarantee that your mailbox will never be hacked. Some attackers manage to trick users into credentials in a variety of ways. Using viruses and social engineering.

The degree of this risk can be reduced by being vigilant when working with correspondence: do not open dubious letters, especially from unknown senders, open suspicious attachments, interactive elements, placed in the body of the letter.

It is also possible to reduce this “minus” through good antivirus program. The electronic watchman will watch and scrupulously check all processes occurring at the level network connections and directly in the PC operating system.

Internet connection required

If there is no Internet, alas, you will not be able to send anything anywhere. But if you need to read previously received correspondence, then you can do without the Internet by installing special add-ons for viewing messages offline.

Viruses

A huge number of attacks on user computers and telephones, hackers access via e-mail. For them, the mailbox is an unauthorized entry point into the victim's operating system. Therefore, as mentioned above, users must exercise increased attention when working with content received by mail. At a minimum, check it with antivirus software.

These are the disadvantages and advantages of email. However, if you conduct a quick analysis - even in terms of quantity - e-mail still has incomparably more usefulness. But, of course, it’s up to you, dear reader, to decide whether to use the postal service or not.

One of the most important signs of human civilization is mail. For hundreds of years, thanks to this proven mechanism, letters sent from one place are sent to another. An army of postmen collects them from mailboxes and delivers them to their post office. Then, through the system of the same offices, the letter reaches the right place, and the postman delivers it to the recipient’s mailbox or hands it to him personally.

What is e-mail and how does it work

For many years, attempts have been made to improve the delivery of letters and messages. For this purpose, flags and semaphores were used, a special alphabet with the help of which messages were transmitted by light, telegraph, and radio. But the essence of mail remained the same: letter, envelope, postman. Events in the second half of the last century brought revolutionary changes in the delivery of letters and messages. In 1965, workers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed mail program For operating system installed on IBM computer. This made it possible to organize local interaction between many users.

They first got the opportunity using new program send one message to another within one large electronic computer. The message could then be sent to another computer. It was enough to indicate her name and the name of the operator. With the advent of the ability to transmit information through a third computer, it was necessary to know the exact route that passed through a number of computers with their addresses, and the address end user. Have been developed specialized computers and equipment to use software, for solutions specific tasks. They began to be called servers.

Later, to distinguish between users and their groups on the Internet, distributed system domain names. Thanks to it it functions common space Networks. Domain names have made it possible to address in a convenient form. To use e-mail they began to use special servers, available only to administrators. Messages arrived on them, from where they were retrieved by users using various network protocols. They represent a formalized set of rules, actions and their order for connecting devices included in the network and exchanging data between them.

When did they appear domain names, there was a need for route reservations, through which messages were delivered. The name itself no longer referred to a specific computer. He became part postal address user. A domain can be served by several servers, sometimes geographically located thousands of kilometers from each other.

In addition to the above, other similar mail systems have been developed and exist. In official documents in Russian, the term “electronic mail” is used to designate a method of communication. Usually before email address the prefix "" is indicated.

Important elements of email are servers and programs that perform the following functions:

1. Forwarding messages between mail servers.
2. Delivery of mail to the end user.
3. Demonstrations of received letters and the operation of the interface, which allows you to write letters, reply to them and forward them to another address.
4. Receiving mail from another server according to the protocols for the delivery server
5. Filtering advertising mailings.
6. Anti-virus scanning of attachments, etc.

As a result, electronic mail (electronic mail or e-mail) acts as a structure and technological process to ensure shipment emails. They are delivered and sent using computers connected to web networks. In essence, such a postal system at a new technological level is similar to the traditional postal system. It has the same terms (letter, envelope, mail, delivery, attachment, box, etc.).

It is also simple, reliable, but may delay the delivery of messages and does not provide any guarantees of such delivery. Its accessibility is manifested in the fact that any owner of a computer connected to the Internet can, by registering on the selected portal, quickly and absolutely free of charge become the owner of an electronic mailbox.

Benefits of Email

The postal system of electronic messages, which emerged in the mid-twentieth century, has proven to be incredible useful tool communications between people, government and public structures. Its main advantages are :

• The ability to transfer files in the form of plain and formatted text, images, audio and video files, etc.
• Free perception and easy memorization of addresses by people indicating usernames and domains.
• Direct communication of servers to each other without external intervention
• Deliver messages with a high degree of reliability.
• Transmit messages at high speed.
• Convenience and ease of perception by people and programs.

What are the disadvantages of email?

During its existence and development, e-mail, in addition to its obvious advantages, began to have a number of disadvantages, which include:

• Periodically there are delays in the delivery of letters, which can range from several hours to days.
• The practice of limiting personal message sizes and their total volume in the user's mailbox.
• The difficulty of countering mass advertising and viral mailings that interfere with users’ work.
• Insufficient protection against unauthorized entry into mail, hacking of mailboxes and programs.

conclusions

Today, e-mail has proven to be in demand and an integral part of public, private and public life. On its basis, various social and special-purpose web networks have developed. The organization of its functioning is carried out by leading IT companies that develop and improve popular services progressive postal system with great prospects.

Email is one of the major technological changes that has greatly impacted the way we communicate with each other. Today, email is an important communication tool. However Post service has its pros and cons.

One of the simplest definitions of email is a letter sent to in electronic format. Email was first used in 1965, allowing users to communicate with each other over a computer network. SDC's Q32 and MIT's CTSS were the first computer systems to use email for communication. In 1966, this postal service was introduced to the public.

What is email?

Electronic mail is commonly called "email" which is short for "electronic mail". Email is a system used to create, send/receive and store data in digital format By computer network. Previously, the email system was based on simple protocol Mail Transfer (SMTP), this protocol is used to send mail from one server to another. Today's email technologies use a store-and-forward model (ie, store-and-forward). In this model, users send and receive information on their computers. However, the computer is only used to connect to the email architecture. The creation, transmission and storage of email occurs only when communication with the email architecture is established.

There are a number of advantages to using an email service. These benefits are listed in order of importance to users.

Easy to use

The email service helps manage our contacts, allows us to send emails quickly, helps us maintain our mailings and history, and provides ample storage space. An email can be sent from any computer with Internet access.

Impact on the environment

Letters sent electronically, do not use paper. This way email prevents cutting out large quantity trees. Electronic mail service also saves fuel, which is consumed in the process of transporting letters.

Speed

The letter can be delivered instantly and almost anywhere globe. You can send a message to several users at the same time; Thus, the postal service saves a lot of time.

Informal and conversational style

Typically, the language used in email messages is quite simple. This makes the communication process informal. The process of sending and receiving emails does not require much time. Therefore, it can be used as a communication tool, just like chatting.

Data storage

Email service providers offer their clients/users ample storage space for emails. Also, the process of sorting and organizing letters, by subject or by other criteria (Date, Sender, etc.), is user-friendly.

Attachments

The attachment feature allows users to send huge chunks of data via email. In addition, sending a letter with attachments does not raise the price, unlike the postal service.

Citation

When a person responds to an email message, he/she can use quoting emails previously sent/received. Such letters can be used for guidance purposes in the communication process. This will help the recipient understand what he/she is reading.

Easy to prioritize

Letters arrive with notes. This way, it becomes easy to distribute them and ignore the ones that are unwanted. This way, users can easily sort and filter mail in their inbox.

Reliability and safety

Email service providers are making ongoing efforts to improve the security required to use email. Today, email is considered one of the most safe ways communication on the Internet.

Using graphics

Users can send colorful cards and interesting photos by email. This provision is of great importance for email services.

Today, many individuals and business organizations are using email services to advertise their products, services, etc. Thus, Email can also be used as a marketing tool.

Cheap service

The costs incurred in connection with the use of email services are negligible compared to the traditional postal service. However, costs also depend on what kind of Internet connection you have. Those who do not have Internet access at home can use the services of an Internet cafe.

Advantages of technological development

Development computer technology allowed users to send letters not only from their desktop computers, as well as from smartphones and other similar devices. This way, the user can send and receive email even while he/she is driving the car or walking home from work.

Although the email service mail has many advantages, it also has certain restrictions and disadvantages.

Spam

Emails that are used to send unauthorized messages and unwanted advertising, creating inconvenience are called spam. Verification and removal unwanted emails can consume a lot of user time. Therefore, there is a need to block or filter unwanted emails through spam filters.

Typically, spam is a deception practiced when sending emails. Spoofing is a practice that is commonly used to send spam. Spoofing involves deceiving the recipient by changing the header of the email or the address from which it was sent.

Breaking

Act of violation computer security called hacking. In this form of security breach, emails are intercepted by attackers. The letter, before it is delivered to the recipient, “passes” between servers located in various parts peace; therefore, email accounts are vulnerable to hacking by professional hackers.

Not suitable for business

Important documents can go unnoticed for a long time among the large number of letters that accumulate in the inbox. Therefore, urgent transactions and especially those that require a signature cannot be easily managed via email.

Viruses

Viruses are computer programs that have the potential to harm computer systems. Viruses, as is known, can copy themselves and then infect the entire adjacent computer system. Therefore, recipients should scan their mail, as viruses can be transmitted through them.

Overflowing mailbox

The mailbox tends to become full after a certain period of time. This kind of information overload often discourages users from using email services.

No personal contact

Even in our age digital technologies, there are many people who feel comfortable reading handwritten words. For such people in emails Something personal is missing.

Internet access required

There are many places in the world where people do not have access to the Internet. Email is useless in places like this.

Regularly checking your mailbox

To stay up to date, you need to check regularly account Email. If a person, due to his busy daily routine, does not check his inbox, he may miss out on some important and urgent messages.

Each new technology, which is included in social world has its share of advantages and disadvantages. Different people interpret and use technology differently. In order to make technology accessible, users must try to understand both the positive and negative aspects of the tools they use.