E-mail: Use It or Lose It?

Extract

[...] E-mail: Use It or Lose It? Individuals living in today's modern world have differing opinions concerning the so-called advantages of new technology that is available to us. Some are pro- innovation and believe that it has had a positive effect on our lives, while others believe that new technology has negatively influenced our existence. One such advance which has become extremely popular, but quite controversial is the use of e-mail. Some people, such as writers Judith Kleinfeld, Ed Boland, and Nicholas Negroponte argue that the use of e-mail has made our lives simpler in many ways. [...]

[...] mail is not interruptive like a phone and allows you to simply check it at your own convenience from work or home. However, Nixon sees the easy access as a weak point as it distracts us from our other daily activities. As an example he describes his experience at an artists' colony during the summer where to use the internet he had to hike half a mile to the main residence to plug in his lap top, allowing him to check his e-mail only about once every three days. [...]