Over time many alternatives to e-mail have come along, but they have not made much of a dent in the high volume of people who are reasonably comfortable using it, even with all its problems.

Think of the power of the fax machine. Its value is not in what it does, but in the fact that it connects to businesses all over the known universe.

Likewise the power of e-mail is in the fact that anyone who connects to the Internet can do e-mail.

Of many alternative ways of connecting, it rapidly surpassed other approaches, and now it is pre-eminent.

It is like asking if the advantages of having personal automobiles on public highways outweigh the disadvantages of nasty traffic jams, reckless maniacs to contend with, kids with no sense of safety.

While there are many other alternative games in town, the personal auto has become ubiquitous. Everyone knows the problems, everyone wants one.

Same deal with e-mail.

There are many alternative ways to communicate

* off the internet … telephone, snail mail

* on the internet … Blogs with RSS where you subscribe to changes in partner web sites textual changes directed at you, and many people can reply in context … spam viruses malware practically non-existent, but the learning curve is steep & we will always have contacts who insiste on using e-mail