Coronavirus thread

[Karl Henning]

But, but... with e-mail and phone being instant and free I do wonder who sends letters by post anymore? 

A postal service for packages and online order deliveries, useful alright --- but for letters proper? This sounds like Paleozoic to me.

Well, with my wife & mom-in-law out of state during the pandemic, when a piece of snail-mail comes in, which they need, I go to the Post Office to forward it to them.

[Karl Henning]

Also greeting cards have not yet gone completely e-mail.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

But, but... with e-mail and phone being instant and free I do wonder who sends letters by post anymore? 

A postal service for packages and online order deliveries, useful alright --- but for letters proper? This sounds like Paleozoic to me.

Think about this:  remember what it felt like to receive a letter or a card with a hand-written note?   

Wonder how the popularity of emails/computer technology has changed history for historians trying to do research?  And what will future museums look like?  No letters in cases or diaries for researchers to dig through or the public to see?

PD

[Todd]

I know that --- but is there really no private postal service at all in the US? 

All competing private courier servicers will happily deliver letters for the right price.  (Unless the recipient uses a PO box in some cases . . .)

...but for letters proper? This sounds like Paleozoic to me.

Yep.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

All competing private courier servicers will happily deliver letters for the right price.  (Unless the recipient uses a PO box in some cases . . .

Yes, but not for anything near 55 cents.

[Karl Henning]

Think about this:  remember what it felt like to receive a letter or a card with a hand-written note?   

PD

Verily.

[Todd]

Yes, but not for anything near 55 cents.

Correct.  Private companies cannot compete on price with a directly subsidized entity.  But Americans have multiple choices for sending letters, postcards, etc. 

[Florestan]

Well, with my wife & mom-in-law out of state during the pandemic, when a piece of snail-mail comes in, which they need, I go to the Post Office to forward it to them.

Paleozoic, I tellya.. You could have used the camera on your phone tp take a picture of it and then forward it via Whatsup or E-mail (works by phone as well). Five minutes at most to send and receive/open it, as opposed to... what, at least a few hours/days?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Paleozoic, I tellya.. You could have used the camera on your phone tp take a picture of it and then forward it via Whatsup or E-mail (works by phone as well). Five minutes at most to send and receive/open it, as opposed to... what, at least a few hours/days?

But that also violates their privacy (actually is a federal offense....unless one is asked to do so).

[Florestan]

Think about this:  remember what it felt like to receive a letter or a card with a hand-written note?   

Honestly, dear PD, I am old enough to know what you're talking about --- no, I never felt any particular thrill receiving a hand-written letter, or writing one (I am a caligraphy guy, never satisfied with my hand-writing). Communication is not about the medium, but about the message. The faster it's delivered, the better. YMMV, of course. 

Wonder how the popularity of emails/computer technology has changed history for historians trying to do research?  And what will future museums look like?  No letters in cases or diaries for researchers to dig through or the public to see?

That's a big problem, one that I'll gladly grant you. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Honestly, dear PD, I am old enough to know what you're talking about --- no, I never felt any particular thrill receiving a hand-written letter, or writing one (I am a caligraphy guy, never satisfied with my hand-writing). Communication is not about the medium, but about the message. The faster it's delivered, the better. YMMV, of course. 

That's a big problem, one that I'll gladly grant you. 

Your Mileage May Vary?? 

And, yes, it's the message that counts the most, still....

PD

[Todd]

Communication is not about the medium, but about the message.

Most of the time yes, but sometimes the medium is important - eg, a stylized wedding invitation, etc.

[SimonNZ]

Wonder how the popularity of emails/computer technology has changed history for historians trying to do research?  And what will future museums look like?  No letters in cases or diaries for researchers to dig through or the public to see?

PD

I heard Doris Kearns Goodwin take this question and she said the big noticible gap in source material for biographers comes with the invention of the telephone.

I also have a horrible suspicion that future biographers are going to have more info than the want from people's internet history.

[Florestan]

Most of the time yes, but sometimes the medium is important - eg, a stylized wedding invitation, etc.

Ah, yes, of course, I do completely agree about wedding invitation --- but the Romanian custom is that the wedding invitation be delivered in person, not by mail, by either the groom or the bride. Now, of course, Romania is about 250,000 km2 (which US state, I do wonder?) and usually a wedding invites people within 100 kms at most --- and I'm being generous.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I heard Doris Kearns Goodwin take this question and she said the big noticible gap in source material for biographers comes with the invention of the telephone.

I also have a horrible suspicion that future biographers are going to have more info than the want from people's internet history.

Interesting Simon!  I could certainly see how the telephone would have changes things...though these days, there's also texting, etc. on a phone.

Re internet history.  Possibly, but things can also be deleted too!  On a smaller scale level, what happens if no one in your family knows your computer password?  All of the lost photos, emails/correspondence, records?  Actually, not long ago, I read (somewhere) about what happens to all of your uploaded photos if no one knows your password to the account (let alone your computer one)?  They could all be lost when you die.  That could be a lot of family photos and history that goes bye bye.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Ah, yes, of course, I do completely agree about wedding invitation --- but the Romanian custom is that the wedding invitation be delivered in person, not by mail, by either the groom or the bride. Now, of course, Romania is about 250,000 km2 (which US state, I do wonder?) and usually a wedding invites people within 100 kms at most --- and I'm being generous.

Neat custom!    Would be hard for out-of-country relatives and friends to receive their invites this way these days though.   

[Karl Henning]

Paleozoic, I tellya.. You could have used the camera on your phone tp take a picture of it and then forward it via Whatsup or E-mail (works by phone as well). Five minutes at most to send and receive/open it, as opposed to... what, at least a few hours/days?

Mom is not as at ease with "soft copy" management as some of us; also, I could not do that with medication which I needed to forward to her

[Todd]

Ah, yes, of course, I do completely agree about wedding invitation --- but the Romanian custom is that the wedding invitation be delivered in person, not by mail, by either the groom or the bride. Now, of course, Romania is about 250,000 km2 (which US state, I do wonder?) and usually a wedding invites people within 100 kms at most --- and I'm being generous.

Special communications cover multiple special occasions - weddings, graduations, funerals, baby showers, Christmas, etc - and the geographic distribution can be national or global, depending on the recipient pool.  I have relatives from coast to coast, plus Alaska, for instance.  I have neighbors and co-workers with friends and family on every continent save Antarctica, and in I don't know how many countries.  And if my key vendors do not send me a fancy holiday card each year, the next annual performance review may not be quite so kindly . . .

[SimonNZ]

Interesting Simon!  I could certainly see how the telephone would have changes things...though these days, there's also texting, etc. on a phone.

Re internet history.  Possibly, but things can also be deleted too!  On a smaller scale level, what happens if no one in your family knows your computer password?  All of the lost photos, emails/correspondence, records?  Actually, not long ago, I read (somewhere) about what happens to all of your uploaded photos if no one knows your password to the account (let alone your computer one)?  They could all be lost when you die.  That could be a lot of family photos and history that goes bye bye.

Your internet provider will still have your history even after you've cleared it from your pc. I meant future biographers may have access to that.

[Karl Henning]

Honestly, dear PD, I am old enough to know what you're talking about --- no, I never felt any particular thrill receiving a hand-written letter, or writing one (I am a caligraphy guy, never satisfied with my hand-writing). Communication is not about the medium, but about the message. The faster it's delivered, the better. YMMV, of course. 

It is not only because my mother does not use e-mail, that I especially enjoy getting a birthday card in the mail from her.


Probably a Mod should peel all this tangent away to another thread