NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: MICHAEL OSTERMAN ON MESSAGING 10/28/04 Today's focus: Why not just pick up the phone?
Dear [EMAIL PROTECTED], In this issue: * Why the phone is not the most efficient communication method * Links related to Messaging * Featured reader resource _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Nokia NW Special Report: Preparing an Infrastructure for Mobile Applications. Mobility, properly done, increases productivity and decreases operating costs. So get up to date information about building a mobile infrastructure, dealing with security issues, the latest networking options, connectivity alternatives and operational support enhancements. http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=85574 _______________________________________________________________ NOW AVAILABLE! Networking for Small Business website Get all the combined Small Business advice, authority, and know-how from the experts at NW Fusion and PC World distilled into one powerful resource, the new Networking for Small Business website. Find everything your small business needs regarding Security, Networking, Broadband, Hardware, Software, and Wireless and Mobile technology at: http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=85528 _______________________________________________________________ Today's focus: Why not just pick up the phone? By Michael Osterman Last week I wrote about how instant messaging and other collaboration tools can reduce delays in communications among team members. The newsletter discussed the results of an analysis that showed that distance increases the difficulty of obtaining information from others. A reader of the newsletter took exception with my conclusion and offered the following (paraphrased) response: I hate it when research is narrow to prove a point. I have to work with people who think that a fast response is an e-mail message. Needless to say, you and they should try an older piece of hardware: the phone. It might prove to be a very rapid method of transmitting ideas. Further, a fax machine makes available all the information that someone needs instead of having to coordinate an IM conference or wading through all the e-mail to find a specific message. In short, voicemail and fax transmit information and background more efficiently than e-mail or IM. The reader has a good point. Very often, specific e-mail messages are difficult to find, particularly when they are older. Coordinating collaboration sessions via Web conferencing or IM can be more difficult than just picking up the phone or sending a fax. However, I disagree with the fundamental notion that e-mail and IM do not ultimately make people more efficient than phone and fax. It all boils down to the level of disruption involved with the use of each technology. Looking back at history, one can arguably view the development of communications technology as successively making communicating with others less and less disruptive and, by corollary, making people more efficient. The telephone made it possible to call someone many miles away without having to take the time to write a letter or travel to that person. Early cell phones were an improvement over wireline telephones because they permitted communications with less disruption to one's schedule than seeking out a pay phone or staying in the office. E-mail is less disruptive than the telephone because it allows two people to take part in a conversation at different times. IM is less disruptive than the telephone because it offers greater flexibility and integrates more easily with the typical user's work processes. Handheld e-mail and IM devices are less disruptive than desktop or even laptop computers because they often make access to communications easier. In short, e-mail and IM integrate more easily into most work processes than phone and fax. I'd appreciate your thoughts on this - please drop me a line at <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (or call me at 253-630-5839). RELATED EDITORIAL LINKS Microsoft debuts communication client Network World, 10/25/04 http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/102504msim.html _______________________________________________________________ To contact: Michael Osterman Michael D. Osterman is the principal of Osterman Research <http://www.ostermanresearch.com/>, a market research firm that helps organizations understand the markets for messaging, directory and related products and services. He can be reached by clicking here <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Nokia NW Special Report: Preparing an Infrastructure for Mobile Applications. Mobility, properly done, increases productivity and decreases operating costs. So get up to date information about building a mobile infrastructure, dealing with security issues, the latest networking options, connectivity alternatives and operational support enhancements. http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=85574 _______________________________________________________________ ARCHIVE LINKS Archive of the Messaging newsletter: http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/gwm/index.html _______________________________________________________________ FEATURED READER RESOURCE NW CLEAR CHOICE TESTS The Network World Lab Alliance is a coalition of industry experts, network integration consultants, independent test labs and universities who conduct single-product reviews and head-to-head comparative tests in real enterprise network settings. Find out which products get the "thumbs-up" in categories such as web front-end devices, WLAN security, anti-spam and more at: <http://www.nwfusion.com/reviews/> _______________________________________________________________ May We Send You a Free Print Subscription? You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered at your fingertips each day. Now, extend your knowledge by receiving 51 FREE issues to our print publication. Apply today at http://www.subscribenw.com/nl2 International subscribers click here: http://nww1.com/go/circ_promo.html _______________________________________________________________ SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World e-mail newsletters, go to: <http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/Changes.aspx> To unsubscribe from promotional e-mail go to: <http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/Preferences.aspx> To change your e-mail address, go to: <http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/ChangeMail.aspx> Subscription questions? 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