Using e-mail is like composing or reading a paper message, with several distinct differences:

• It's faster. E-mail is received almost immediately after it is sent, usually within minutes.

• It's more conversational. Because of its immediacy, a whole series of e-mail messages may be exchanged within a very short time. As a result, e-mail messages tend to be less formal and more chatty in style; they are also usually shorter and more to the point.

• It's easier to reference. The text of a previous e-mail message can easily be included as part of a reply to that message. Thus, e-mail correspondents are able to keep the context of replies sent in each message. Including context is not only polite but also makes an e-mail message more immediately understandable.