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Well, apparently, we are definitely behind the times!

(60 Posts)
phoenix Thu 04-Oct-18 22:57:48

Evening all, and sending every good wish.

Well, my thoughts were first aroused when a friends grandson was over from Australia and during the course of a conversation, I said that I would send him some info via email.

He was a bit nonplussed, and eventually (after looking through his phone) gave me his mothers email address. confused

So, tonight I get a call from our new window cleaner, saying that he had done the windows. previously I have been here, and paid him in cash, but today I was at work.

I said to him "email me your bank details, and I will pay you by transfer" (Not unreasonable, I thought).

There was a short silence followed by "email?" in what I can only describe as incredulous tones. shock

You would have thought by his reaction that I had offered to communicate by carrier pigeon!

He then said that he would send them via Facebook Messenger, which he did.

It would seem that younger people regard email as only for "oldies" and use Whatsapp and some other thing that I can't remember! Oh yes, Snapchat.

Yours, feeling ever older, although only 60,

Phoenix

Jalima1108 Thu 04-Oct-18 23:17:40

I use email so my DC have to respond!
Just call me old-fashioned.

It doesn't seem that long since I went on a course from work and the young male tutor was telling us about this exciting new thing called 'email' - apparently he and his friends didn't bother with Christmas cards any more, they just sent email Christmas messages to each other.
Actually, come to think of it, it was quite a long time ago, probably before your friend's grandson was born grin

Farmor15 Thu 04-Oct-18 23:26:29

I’ve noticed this as well - seems to be a increasing trend among younger people but some don’t realise they still need an email address and be able to use it.

When it comes to business, job applications etc., email is widely used but I don’t think WhatsApp would be acceptable. I was surprised that when needing to sign a contract for professional services of architect and engineer, it was acceptable to print the attachment sent by email, sign, then scan and send back the scanned doc by email.

phoenix Thu 04-Oct-18 23:29:35

jalima I draw the line at "e" Christmas cards,(you can't put them on the mantelpiece,and we seem to get so few these days that I'm sometimes tempted to put up some from last year, just to make it seem that we are not actually "billynomates" blush,) although I have been known to use them for birthdays, but always personalised.

Jalima1108 Thu 04-Oct-18 23:31:42

I don't think they were invented in those days phoenix (the Dark Ages) so I think they just sent these new-fangled emails to each other saying 'Merry Christmas to One and All' tchgrin

phoenix Thu 04-Oct-18 23:32:02

Farmor that is now common practice, I did it for the new insurance documents for work.

SueDonim Fri 05-Oct-18 00:48:37

I can't think when I last had an email from any of my children. It's mostly messenger now although one is a social media refusnik and communicates by text - which even so isn't very often! grin

They do use work emails though.

kittylester Fri 05-Oct-18 06:17:41

I was just going to say that, Sue. I rarely get emails apart from business type ones or junk.

The daily and most friends use WhatsApp, the rest use text or messenger. Snapshot seems a step too far!

Willow500 Fri 05-Oct-18 06:30:32

We tend to use e-mail more for everything to do with anything financial as it means we have a record of the transactions but my family now use WhatsApp for everything so we keep in touch that way. Now it's available on pc too it's much easier for me to type a longer message - I hate trying to type on my phone. Two friends use messenger which is fine but a bit annoying on my phone as it won't do both messenger and texts and I have to keep changing it in settings. I definitely don't do e-cards - not friendly at all!

BlueBelle Fri 05-Oct-18 06:32:05

Suedonin i m the same we all use messenger occasionally Snapchat but I m not keen on snapchat often press the wrong button and end up with strange things happening
I have a couple of friends who always use Email but otherwise it’s only junk that I receive

tanith Fri 05-Oct-18 06:46:07

As some of the others have said the only email I get are junk, or official ones from the council or bank.
It’s WhatsApp or Messenger for family and friends.

NanKate Fri 05-Oct-18 07:01:21

Ok folks need a Granny Friendly description of WhatsApp and Messenger please, I am obviously behind the times.

BlueBelle Fri 05-Oct-18 07:19:33

Messenger is telephone / video/ or written message connected through Facebook and obviously free as it comes through your WiFi It really does make your landline almost redundant I hardly ever use my landline for personal use and only really get business calls on it I use messenger to make all my overseas calls and it’s normally good reception you can use it for group ( family) chats too
I don’t use WhatsApp so I ll leave someone else to tell you about that

kittylester Fri 05-Oct-18 07:33:28

WhatsApp is also messaging through WiFi and therefore free! We send photos, videos and links in it. If you find the app and install it, it will show you who you can connect to. wink

NanKate Fri 05-Oct-18 07:55:55

Thanks Kitty and Blue.

rubysong Fri 05-Oct-18 08:00:17

I recently bought a box of CDs at an auction and as I left the young man on the door (security) expressed surprise that anyone still listened to CDs. I thought they were modern! Apparently everyone now downloads music. I do sometimes send eCards but not at Christmas.

GrandmaMoira Fri 05-Oct-18 08:41:46

Willow - I didn't realise you could have Whatsapp on a laptop. I must investigate that. I find most people now use Whatsapp and FB messenger for messages rather than email or text but I find it so difficult to write much on the phone. Laptops with a keyboard are so much easier.
I hadn't realised you could use Messenger for phone calls. One of my sons uses Skype for calls .

KatyK Fri 05-Oct-18 09:11:45

I'm not on Facebook, so I'd be scuppered!

shysal Fri 05-Oct-18 09:12:04

If you want to use Whatsapp on your laptop your phone has to be connected to the app before you can use it.

Tweedle24 Fri 05-Oct-18 10:19:38

I have been advised not to send bank details by email as it is not safe.

Greyduster Fri 05-Oct-18 10:42:14

I don’t use Facebook any longer, but I do use WhatsApp to connect with family. It is the only thing GS is allowed to have on his phone at the moment. We are also included, for some unknown reason, in a WhatsApp thing for the junior football club so I get strings of messages waking me up at unearthly hours (which is any time before seven in this house!) of the morning saying “yes, Freddie/Charlie/Max/ Uncle Tom Cobley can play on Sunday” or “Any volunteers to help put the nets up?” I keep asking my SiL to take us off it, but he keeps forgetting. I only email a very few people socially these days.

ReadyMeals Fri 05-Oct-18 10:44:35

I like email especially for non-social mail like with sellers or tradespeople, as it's a really good way of keeping track of what's been agreed, and can be sorted into folders etc. But for social and family I usually use whatsapp or messenger as it's more immediate and friendly (though I keep some history with those too)

David1968 Fri 05-Oct-18 10:45:26

In our household email is used more than anything for communication with friends and family. I do realise that every time that I use email, Google is gathering more information on me! Thus I don't use Facebook, or What's app because I dont want yet another company knowing everything that I do (both are owned by "Facebook", so I understand.)

Kim19 Fri 05-Oct-18 10:46:33

I'm with NK & KK on this. Email only and I certainly wouldn't put my bank details thereon. I've just closed my fb account and have been told this will take two weeks to become effective. That's interestingly depressing in itself methinks. Received a nasty and threatening mail recently which pretty well has me resorting to post-its which is currently being recommended on the media in light of the current Russian intrusion.

Magrithea Fri 05-Oct-18 10:52:37

Whatsapp is brilliant! It's like instant email and definitely worth signing up for