Is instant messaging going to replace email?
I use AIM constantly to talk to friends and barely check my email anymore. My dad says IM is just a fad and email is here to stay. But IM is so much faster and more fun. Is instant messaging going to take over? Or will people always need email for more formal stuff? Which one do businesses prefer?
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5 Answers
This is actually a really common misconception. The technology works differently than most people think. I'd recommend reading HowStuffWorks.com for a good beginner explanation before diving into the technical details.
I posted this exact question on a newsgroup a while back and got a ton of helpful replies. Don't sleep on Usenet — comp.* groups are full of people who actually know what they're talking about, way more than some web forums full of script kiddies.
Honestly the manual that came with it explains this pretty well if you actually read it. I know nobody reads manuals but for once it's worth flipping through. The troubleshooting section in the back covers the most common problems.
Be REALLY careful what you download to fix this. Half the 'free fix-it' programs you find are spyware in disguise. Stick to known-good stuff like the tools from major sites, and always scan downloads with your antivirus before running them.
I'd wait a few months before jumping on this. New technology always has bugs and the price drops fast. Remember how DVD players were $600 and now they're $40? Let the early adopters work out the kinks and pay full price.
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