In 2010, 107 trillion e-mail messages were sent over the Internet. In comparison, around 160 billion pieces of mail are processed each year by the U.S. Postal Service. The widespread use of e-mail is due to several advantages, including speed and low cost. Although they are extremely common, e-mail messages do have a few disadvantages, and the traditional post office is useful even in the 21st century. The speed of e-mail can also be a disadvantage, however. Because e-mails can be dispatched with just a few clicks, they are used far more often than their traditional paper counterparts. If a large number of e-mails fill the inbox too quickly, users can become overwhelmed or distracted by the volume of messages. It can be time consuming to sort through a vast number of irrelevant e-mails all quickly sent to one recipient. Low-cost messages do have one major drawback: spam. Marketers or even fraudsters can send e-mails without being limited by postage prices. This leads to a high number of unwanted spam messages that must be filtered and deleted by the recipient. The time and resources spent dealing with spam can impact the productivity of individuals and businesses. On the other hand, personalized letters sent through the post office often receive a level of attention that e-mails lack. The lack of a personal touch in an e-mail could lead to a recipient missing important details or ignoring the message completely. A traditional letter can be a good way to stand out from the crowd and have a message noticed. The informal nature of e-mail can also be a disadvantage. Important documents such as legally-binding contracts typically must be sent through a traditional post office. This method is seen as more formal and trustworthy, while e-mail messages are limited to routine communication. Writer Bio
