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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to still use email?

150 replies

LoveliestFriendEver · 19/01/2019 10:52

I just don't get it. How is WhatsApp or messenger more convenient that email/text? Am I being a luddite?

I've never got on board with Facebook or the newer ways of managing electronic communication.

I email photos to family and use text messages. If I need an instant response I call.

OP posts:
Original poster
LoveliestFriendEver · 19/01/2019 12:12

Yes I quite often call mid text exchange if it's going back and forward. I guess that's just personal preference but it feels much more efficient to me.

I think I feel a bit like gamerchick in earlier post about constant communication feeling suffocating. Although sounds lovely for some families.

I have a family with a history of falling out and having rows so the potential for inadvertently causing offense seems too high for ongoing group written conversations.

OP posts:
Azula · 19/01/2019 12:12

@ThumbWitchesAbroad If you want to use WhatsApp on your computer, you can do so via the desktop app or the web version that's accessible straight from your browser.

Cherries101 · 19/01/2019 12:13

@Gwenhwyfar - you don’t need to be a spy to be hacked. Most static data compromises are done to obtain more data to hack banks etc. So for example an email hack might reveal a date of birth and name and address. So now the hacker has your email, your date of birth, your name and address and so almost has enough info to ask your bank to reset your internet security details.

Xenia · 19/01/2019 12:15

I like to use a lot of words and with my clients if they text me (which is very rare -0 I then have to email myself the text and print it out for the file as I must have a record so it is a massive nuisance). The family uses a group whatsapp chat which I am on but I certainly find email easier if it i involves an address or invitation as on whatsapp I would have to copy it, send it to myself by email and print it off.

longestlurkerever · 19/01/2019 12:15

I do find the pictures much quicker to upload/download in whatsapp, and it's easier to select the contacts you want to send it to. Just more convenient - not massively different. I find whatsapp video chat easier than skype too.

MereDintofPandiculation · 19/01/2019 12:16

It’s harder to have a conversation on email as you can’t see your conversation all in one go.

Not a problem if you're using a computer.And the great thing about email is you can reply to each comment, interspersing your reply into their original (rather as I am doing here)

And you can’t attach all in one go. Are you sure about that? I can select a number of pictures and attach them with one click.

So what do all you smart phone users do about security when you're using public wifi? Or do you use only your phone supplier's data download?

HollowTalk · 19/01/2019 12:18

I'm not a big fan of Whatsapp, to be honest. One of my friends swears by it but it pisses me off - I don't like having to type things on my phone, when I can use the keyboard on my laptop FAR faster.

You can use WhatsApp on your laptop. Just Google it - it's easy to set up but you can only use it if your phone is relatively nearby and has some battery - but that's the same as using it on your phone!

Confusedbeetle · 19/01/2019 12:22
  1. My phone provider doesn't support free picture messages
  2. My home wifi sends them for free
  3. When I receive pictures they go straight in my gallery
  4. Hate Facebook and have deleted
5 Family Whatsapp groups can cause terrible fall outs 6, School Whatsapp groups are a night mare
  1. Whatsapp Facetime calls to little ones are lovely
  2. On holiday on WiFi calls home are free
April241 · 19/01/2019 12:22

I mostly use WhatsApp as I have a lot of group chats, I've had an iphone for years but recently switched back to android so it's easier to have group chats. Half my friend's have android and half have iPhone, we send a lot of pics so it would be too costly through texts.

DonCorleoneTheThird · 19/01/2019 12:25

You can see when people are online

That is not a selling point.

depends who it is. DH and I find it very useful when we whatsapp each other. Doesn't matter when we just banter through the day, but when we pass on info, we know it has been read, even if the other can't reply immediately.

April241 · 19/01/2019 12:28

Also I never use public WiFi to answer a question up thread, always just my data

Maryjoyce · 19/01/2019 12:29

Basically it’s free to ring anyone world wide as long as they have what’s app

Maryjoyce · 19/01/2019 12:31

And of course pictures can be sent world wide which a lot of countries texts aren’t compatible with ours

Aridane · 19/01/2019 13:33

It’s harder to have a conversation on email as you can’t see your conversation all in one go

Eh -/why wouldn't you be able to view this?

girlwithadragontattoo · 19/01/2019 13:36

I prefer whatsapp. Use it daily. I don't live in the UK and it's free etc.. (I know email is but to be honest never bother going into it, it's just long)

Butterflycookie · 19/01/2019 13:37

Just addressing some of the cristiscims of wattsapp.......

  1. If I had to have a conversation by email I would have hundreds of emails a day! It would clog everything up and would get annoying to delete. Email for me is more formal and and it’s not for one line replies. E.g person A: what for lunch?, person B: pasta. It would be silly to message one liners per email. I rarely sit at a computer. Most people have phones so It’s instant communication. You can get email app on your phone but for some reason on my phone the email doesn’t always send! It can also get lost in your junk email.
  1. You can see people when people are online.
Not if you don’t want to, you can just change the settings! Also I like to know if people have got my message and hasn’t got lost.
  1. Photos are easier than by email. When I’ve tried to attach photos It takes a long time to attach and then a very long time to download from an email. I’ve not attach photos by email in a while but I remember I could only attach a few as it didn’t have enough space in the email to send it. The other day I went to the Harry Potter studios and my brother took many pictures. He sent me all 316 pics that he took via wattsapp in all one go BlushI don’t think you’d be able to do that by email.
  1. “ I don’t want people to know I’ve read the msg on wattsapp”
People don’t have to know you’ve read it. The messages appear on your phone screen when they are sent. It’s only when you open the app and read it that the other person will see the blue ticks. I know many people will avoid replying to someone but I’ve know they’ve probably read it as it appears on the screen.
  1. Those that are saying wattsapp is just like fb messenger. I get it but I don’t have Facebook and some people are not into social media. Im not interested in seeing what other people are posting and I’m sure they can see when your online on fb and if you’ve seen their message.

Op I think you should get wattsapp and then you can decide whether you like it or not. You can always delete it!!

MereDintofPandiculation · 19/01/2019 13:47

He sent me all 316 pics that he took via wattsapp in all one go And that's a good thing?

All those saying WhatsApp is free - it's only free if you'e using public wifi, surely? If you are using your phone's data, then you have to pay for that, either in a contract or PAYG.

Aragog · 19/01/2019 13:55

I can do almost the advantages of these on

(A) iPhone messaging unless someone is on a different phone or doesn't have an iPad
(B) messenger unless someone doesn't have it
(C) WhatsApp unless someone doesn't have it

Photos are really easy to add to my phone/computer via email and text; what's app is no easier for me at all.

I can send voice recordings via normal text. I can also add various documents etc through it.

I can do WiFi phone calls and FaceTime from my phone and my laptop. I used to have skype too. Or I've used what's app. I don't actually like video calls. If I'm speaking to someone I prefer a normal voice call.

I use email for longer messages and work.

Basically I use a different form depending on who I'm contacting but my first choice is always just my iPhone messages. That covers about 90% of my needs.

VanGoghsDog · 19/01/2019 14:42

WA is end to end encyrpted so isn't hacakble.

I use it on my laptop. I also turn off the thing that shows the blue ticks and the 'last seen'.

"So what do all you smart phone users do about security when you're using public wifi? Or do you use only your phone supplier's data download?"

I only use my data, I cba with connecting to different wifi all the time.

In terms of email - if you email A, B and C, and then A replies to your email and B replies to your email, the messages from A and B are not in the same 'thread'.
On WA, all messages are in the same 'conversation'.
Some email (GMail) has tried to replicate this 'conversation' feel but made a dog's dinner of it and it is worse than email ever was.

Allthewaves · 19/01/2019 15:00

Photos much easier on what's app. I'm charged on sms for pictures and emoji

mayathebeealldaylong · 19/01/2019 15:20

Simple WhatsApp pictures download once seen on to your phone. And it's instant unlike the delay through email.
Plus you can print them off your phone or send them on.
It took me a while to get it and I'm still not very fond of fb and insta.
Love snapchat because I look better with a filter and it's fun.

mayathebeealldaylong · 19/01/2019 15:21

Didn't use to much data, plus it's 50p per photo sent through text which it's to much.

NotANotMan · 19/01/2019 15:26

You can stick with email or post or pigeon if you prefer, but the fact is that new methods of communication will only take over from older ones if they are better.
Whatsapp groups are great for sharing photos and chatting with several people. You can have a real time conversation with several participants whereas an email chain is slow and cumbersome in comparison. You can also click on one button and scroll through every photo that has been shared in that group which you can't do on email.

BackforGood · 19/01/2019 15:32

YANBU to use e-mail, but YABU to think that it is either one or the other.
They are for completely different purposes.
I use e-mails a lot. I also use Whatsapp a lot. Completely different purposes though.

Nacreous · 19/01/2019 15:35

MereDint Yes, data does cost money but with low cost providers you can fund all your mobile data needs, including browsing, WhatsApp etc for circa £6 a month. On O2, one of the best value providers of traditional PAYG, that would be 120 mins of calls and 125 texts, with no data whereas using a plusnet monthly bundle you could have unlimited calls, unlimited texts and 1.5giga of data for your £6. So yes you are paying, but not necessarily more than traditional PAYG.