Speech, spoken language, is a technology of presence. Speaker and listener have to be in the same place and time. What advantages and what disadvantages does a information technology based on presence have?
First, consider the disadvantages of presence:
Can you think of a situation in which you might feel more comfortable talking on a telephone than speaking to someone face to face?
Can you think of a situation in which you might feel more comfortable using e-mail than speaking in a group of people?
The advantages of absence appear in writing.
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