This article addresses issues related to one particular type of electronic messaging, namely e-mail. E-mail appears to serve two primary purposes in the world and society. First, it is used as a form of communication that allows individuals, no matter where they are located, to communicate with each other on a regular basis at a low cost. Second, is the use of e-mail to advertise and sell goods and services to individuals. E-mail as an instructional aid may provide students with greater access to faculty and peers, with the Internet providing access to a wider array of educational resources for students and faculty. Additionally, faculty may provide notes and materials to students through e-mail, allowing students to access this information at any time. Although there are many advantages to using e-mail, several disadvantages are inherent in the use of this technology. Two popular views have been posited about communication and relationships that develop through the use of electronic media, especially e-mail. One view portrays relationships that develop through the use of electronic media as shallow, impersonal, and often hostile, with only an illusion of a sense of community. The other view posits that electronic-mediated communication reduces the obstacles of physical locality, creates new, but genuine, personal relationships and communities. Only through sound empirical investigations can conclusions be made about the impact and usefulness of technology. (AEF)