MODERN FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

By Massawe Arkadi

The technological advances of the past few decades have made it possible to transmit printed messages, pictures and even live performances to all comers of the world with speed.

With a single touch, you can send communications to a number of destinations. Not only large business houses but even medium and small ones use them in their day-to-day working. Among such means are fax, internet/email and videoconferencing.

Fax:

Just as the conventional telephone carries voice, a fax or facsimile machine carries printed messages (words and pictures in photocopy form) from the sender instrument to the receiver instrument.

The sender of a fax message prepares the copy on a sheet (generally no larger than A4 size) which can be fed into the fax machine. He dials the destination number, gets the fax tone and feeds the message into the machine.

The printed message is converted into electronic signals as the paper rolls through the fax machine. This message is received in the same form at the other end on the paper roll that is attached to the machine.

The message sent may be retained in the memory of the machine. At the receiving end, in the absence of paper, the message may be recorded in the machine for developing a printout afterwards.

Advantages:

(A) Fax enables an accurate transmission of a document including pictures and handwriting. Colour faxes are also a possibility

(B) Fax can be sent through a computer, in which case it is restricted to the messages created on the computer.

(C) A fax message can be confirmed on telephone to ensure its authenticity.

(D) Faxes are admissible as proof in the court. In this respect they are superior to email.

(E) With repeat dialling facility, a busy number can be reached as soon as it becomes free.

Internet and e-mail:

Internet is an international computer network that links computers from sectors such as government agencies, business houses, educational institutions and individuals. It receives information, stores it and allows it to be read on satisfying certain conditions.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) allow one to create the e-mail ID free, hoping to recover the cost through the ads to which the user is exposed during the use of email. A typical email address reads abcdef@xyz.com. Some other ISPs are bsnl, yahoo, hotmail, and Gmail.

Advantages:

(a) Email is by far the cheapest and fastest means of sending printed information (verbal as well as non-verbal). At one click of the button, hundreds of pages of information can be sent to hundreds of email addresses worldwide (to be noted by receivers upon checking the incoming mail or inbox).

(b) No paper is required. Messages can be created directly on the computer, and added on from different computer files, CDs, floppies, etc.

(c) This facility is now available in many regional languages of India.

(d) It is informal and allows the sender to remain anonymous (since he can use any name as his email ID. For instance J.K. Singh can use udankhatola as his email name).

(e) Organizations and publishing houses take cognizance of messages coming via email. Newspapers and magazines print letters that come via email.

Videoconferencing and Teleconferencing:

This mode of communication begins in teleconferencing. A number of telephones are simultaneously connected to one another. Teleconferencing is a facility enabling people in different parts of the world to have an audio meeting (as opposed to dialogue), saving on transit time and hotel stay. It helps in thrashing out a variety of opinions on a subject to reach a faster conclusion.