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From: dsn@rochester.UUCP (Dana S. Nau)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: The "Reality" of Electronic Communication
Message-ID: <13019@rochester.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 10-Nov-85 16:32:28 EST
Article-I.D.: rocheste.13019
Posted: Sun Nov 10 16:32:28 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 12-Nov-85 23:05:45 EST
References: <917@cvl.UUCP> <352@whuts.UUCP> <11@ttidcc.UUCP> <1617@teddy.UUCP>
Reply-To: dsn@rochester.UUCP (Dana S. Nau)
Distribution: net
Organization: U. of Rochester, CS Dept.
Lines: 32

In article <1617@teddy.UUCP> lkk@teddy.UUCP (Larry K. Kolodney) writes:

>... I used to have a standard flame about the benefits of letter writing,
>and electronic communication specifically. ...

Wow.  My reaction to letters and electronic mail is MUCH different than
yours.  Personally, I get frustrated writing letters because the bandwidth
is so low.  I find it hard to convey subtle shades of meaning in a
letter--partly because there's no good way to communicate facial
expressions, intonation, and body language in a letter, and partly because
there's no chance for immediate feedback and clarification.  As a result,
making it clear what I want to say requires lots of time editing and
re-editing.  I'm willing to do this when I'm writing a technical paper for a
conference or a journal, but for social communications I prefer to be more
spontaneous.

>... Since there is little threat of immediate negative feedback, it is also
>possible to say things via writing that you would find very difficult
>to say face-to-face.

It's the other way around for me.  I think I find it easier to be open in
person, because when I do so I usually get *positive* feedback which
encourages me to continue.

I do find electronic mail quite handy for communicating with various people
in my department about my work--but for personal communications I prefer
personal contact.  I rarely write personal letters; when I want to talk to a
friend I usually pick up the phone instead.  That leads to high phone bills,
but for me it's worth it.
-- 
	Dana S. Nau (dsn@rochester)
	from U. of Maryland, on sabbatical at U. of Rochester