Module 2 - Email Lists

What are the pros and cons of email lists versus discussion boards? 

 It depends on what the goal of your communication is. Email lists have some advantages in that:

• They allow you to receive information rather than go looking for it
• It is a great way to ensure your message is delivered to the intended recipients
• It is a great tool for marketing
• You can store the information any way you like
• Great way to build up your contacts

However it also has its drawbacks:

• It creates a lot of unwanted email or spam
• Responding to some marketing emails can divulge your information to unwanted sources
• Security risks of malicious email and use of HTML email to do this
• Problems reading email if your computer policy or browser only reads plain text

Discussion Boards also have their pro and cons. The main advantages are:

• Communication is asynchronous which lets you communicate on your own terms when you feel like doing so.
• Although there may be advertisements on the web site these are not directed to your email
• Fewer security risks as no emails are sent
• No computer issues reading the content
• You only read what you are interested in

Discussion board’s drawbacks include:

• Less synchronous and outdated information is likely to exist
• More searching required to find information
• Less personal than email

Overall they both have their pros and cons however I feel that the risk of receiving spam and viruses from these email lists makes discussion boards the preferred option for me. 

Are there certain kinds of communication or purposes more suited to one than the other?

From my experience email lists are a great way to send an FYI. It is ideal to advise someone or provide information when you are not eliciting a response. If you would like communicate back and forth especially with more than two people involved than a discussion board is more ideal and practical.