What is the difference between online chat and email?

Answer 1

An email is a text document which is sent to your internet Service Provider server when you press the 'send' button. There it sits for a little while, from a few microseconds to an hour or so, whenever the mail server batch process outgoing email. This document is transmitted as a single file, including attachments, to another server, the recipients Internet Service Provider incoming mail server, by way of servers which forward all mail to the closest address available. The message then resides on the incoming server until downloaded by the recipient.

Instant text messaging is a series of data packets, sent as the 'send' key is activated, which are routed which ever way is available, to another computer. However, many ISP text servers are operated in a batch processing fashion, so the text messages may sit in the outgoing server for a second or two.

On line chat is a conversation between two or more people at computer keyboards, which is made up of data packets sent for every line, return key press, or other interrupt, and without delay, to each computer that is logged into the chat session. So, each packet that a computer sends out might be cloned into several hundred packets, to allow all the logged on users, even the 'lurkers', to receive a person's words.

Email is fast, text messaging is faster, and on-line chat is fastest.

Answer 2

Instant messaging is done with two people via a messaging service, e.g. AIM, Yahoo, ICQ, MSN, and etc...

Chatting covers chatrooms, irc, and IM's, and depending on how far you stretch the the definition it can cover regular emails and forums posts.

Answer 3

Chat is a form of real-time direct text-based communication between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared software clients. More advanced instant messaging software clients also allow enhanced modes of communication, such as live voice or video calling.

Text messaging or texting is a way of sending brief electronic messages (SMS) using cellular devices and smart phones. Texting has advanced so that images, video and sound (MMS) can also be sent.

Answer 4

There are pros and cons associated with E-mail and online chat (sometimes called IM or Instant Messaging)

E-mail:

Pros:

Instant delivery

Secure when using SSL (Secure Socket Layer)

Free

Cons:

Not secure when unprotected

Personal information may be stolen

LOTS of e-mail scams (Phishing, viruses etc.)

Must wait until someone has looked at their inbox before they can read it.

Online chatting/IM:

Pros:

Instant: Sent straight to the recipient's computer and can be read straight away

Not many scams through online chatting/IM

Video calls (free) to other computers is available

Free

Cons:

Not very secure unless using a server like MSN which is hosted by Microsoft who secure the connections

Not very good quality of video call when on dial-up connections

Must wait until the recipient is online

The main difference is the ability to talk to people and have them read it in seconds (IM) or to send them text through the internet and wait for them to have time to read it (e-mail)

Answer 5

A chat is like a conversation, pretty much as soon as you've written it, others can see it. An email has to be sent, transmitted, received and read before someone reacts. Chat, what you write will be immediately visible to the other person(s)

Answer 6

Instant messaging is only between 1 person. Chat room can have more.