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Technical Help & Discussion => General Tech Discussion, News & Q&A => Topic started by: Clive on November 17, 2009, 21:17

Title: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Clive on November 17, 2009, 21:17
To many, email is now an unavoidable part of everyday life. However, it could be obsolete in 10 years, according to a report.

Email could die out within the next 10 years, replaced by more modern methods of communication, a report has claimed.

Research from ISP TalkTalk and the University of Kent found that alternative communication methods such as instant messaging (IM) and even Twitter could take over from email.

The report found that many surfers in their late teens or early twenties barely use email any more, as using IM or Twitter lets them reach more people more effectively.

Other technologies such as text messaging, Facebook status updates and even Google Wave could also make email a thing of the past.

Mark Schmid from TalkTalk said: "Email has been the dominant mode of communication over the internet for the past 20 years, but that doesn't mean it always will be.

"Increasingly people want to send quick, short messages reaching many people in one go, and there are now better ways of doing that than via email," Schmid continued.
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Simon on November 17, 2009, 21:23
I think the whole of the Internet will be very different in 10 years time.
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Clive on November 17, 2009, 21:27
I will fight it till my dying breath.  Splutter splutter...
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: GillE on November 17, 2009, 22:43
Back in the Sixties they were predicting the imminent arrival of the paper-free office.
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Clive on November 17, 2009, 23:16
Now we use more paper than ever! 
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: sam on November 18, 2009, 02:41
the amount of paper that must have been wasted by me just coming into the USA is stupid... especially after they made me apply in advance online  ':| - got to have my finger prints taken by a pretty cool machine though - they have now stolen my soul (well the did steal my suitcase lock - punks smashed it open!)
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Rik on November 18, 2009, 10:55
So many of these predictions have been made over the years, I'll believe it when it happens. I've been using email for 25 years now.
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Simon on November 18, 2009, 11:26
I didn't know it existed until 10 years ago!
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Rik on November 18, 2009, 11:41
I used to pay about £30 for a Telecom Gold package in 1984, on top of which were long-distance phone calls, in those days not cheap, and a charge per KB for data. It sounds so silly now, doesn't it.
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Camstop on November 18, 2009, 11:53
Now we use more paper than ever! 

I don't!

I email PDF quotes, and invoices on times, do my accounts on a excel spreadsheet, get bills emailed pay by direct banking and get paid by direct backing.

Now back up CD's?. That's another thing!

If we got electronic invoices for all we bought i could almost take my books to my accountant on a memory stick  :)x

It's junk mail that keeps the PO running so I'm reliably informed and if that was stopped the PO would be a very different place.

Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Simon on November 18, 2009, 11:54
It certainly does!
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Rik on November 18, 2009, 11:56
It's junk mail that keeps the PO running so I'm reliably informed and if that was stopped the PO would be a very different place.

You can opt out of unaddressed junk mail...
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Camstop on November 18, 2009, 11:58
You can opt out of unaddressed junk mail...

I'm happy to receive it as if the PO goes we'll all pay the price  ???
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Simon on November 18, 2009, 11:59
Can you?  That's interesting.  How?
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Rik on November 18, 2009, 12:03
You have to contact customer services, who will send you an opt-out form, while telling you how much you'll be missing. It works pretty well.
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Simon on November 18, 2009, 12:48
I'll look into that, thanks Rik.
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Scottytoohotty on November 24, 2009, 01:15
I'm still confused about the concept of IM on a PHONE!!?

talking is overrated I guess.
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Rik on November 24, 2009, 10:04
It is puzzling, isn't it.
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Simon on November 24, 2009, 10:20
Yes, I don't use IM on my phone.  It's hard enough keeping up with the forum!  ;D
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: sam on November 24, 2009, 10:24
IM on a phone, free text messaging - if I had it I'd use it. Skype is good for that too.
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Simon on November 24, 2009, 10:32
I have BlackBerry Messenger, and could IM other BlackBerry users free.  Just don't want to.  ;D
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: sam on November 24, 2009, 10:36
I have BlackBerry Messenger, and could IM other BlackBerry users free.  Just don't want to.  ;D

plus no other buggers have BlackBerry's in the UK.
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: Simon on November 24, 2009, 10:50
And they wouldn't want to talk to me anyway!  ;D
Title: Re: Email 'could be obsolete in 10 years'
Post by: sam on November 24, 2009, 10:52
And they wouldn't want to talk to me anyway!  ;D

 :woo: