Similarities and differences between e-mail and snail mail

Let's start out with the differences first - the most obvious of which is speed. E-mail is delivered to the address at a fraction of a second, while mail that travels via the postal service can take up to weeks to be delivered. When writing an e-mail, you need to know the exact address to send it, or it will not be sent to the correct recipient. Snail mail, on the other hand, can have some variations to the address such as the name of the recipient or the wrong zip code, and generally will still arrive at the correct destination.

There are still some similarities between the two, such as spam. Whether opening your physical mailbox or checking your e-mail, almost everyone is invaded by some form of spam, whether it be coupons, special offers, or chain letters. Both types of mail can also contain viruses, it is more common in e-mail than traditional mail, but instances of anthrax and other viruses can be known to appear in regular mail from time to time.