In the days before micro-blogging, text messages and social networking sites, the public were using the humble postcard to impart their thoughts and opinions.
Introduced in 1902, the picture postcard, containing an image on one side and room for writing on the other, became an instant hit according to a study by Lancaster and Manchester Metropolitan universities.
Using Postmaster General reports, researchers calculated almost six billion postcards – an average of 200 per person – were posted in Britain between 1901 and 1910. With up to 10 postal deliveries in major cities a day at this time, the medium allowed users to write and respond quickly and cheaply, the study found.
Like Twitter, which restricts users to 140 characters per ”tweet”, postcard writers only have a limited amount of space to pen a message. The study concludes: ”We suggest that the low price and efficiency of the Edwardian postcard has meant that as an informal written communications technology it was not equalled subsequently until the 21st century.”
Telegraph (thanks, Eliza)
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I would have said that the introduction of email rather than Twitter was the equal for cheapness and efficiency, and that was a 20th century invention.
i love postcards
Hey all, i think we shoulde go back to pen an d paper ok i may be sad but i do. A time of reflection and emotion expressed well:)ok befor i go on and on.just want to say hi,em
@Roj, I think the essence of the point is the similarity in the limited space with which to express your thoughts or opinions – and its informality – not the cheapness or efficiency in which they are sent.
The efficiency is regarding the punchiness of the message, not the time in which it was received (I doubt Edwardian postal times were that impressive!)
i still don’t get twitter, but i think that’s so cool it dates back that far.
@emma doran Have you noticed the postal strike?! Oh my god, just imagined what would happen if twitter, or facebook, or google striked. Struck. Whatever. We’d all be doomed!
If you did not tweet I would not come here, i only come here when you tweet a blog post. Twitter therefore doesn’t suck. Do you hate me coming here and having FREE publicity?
@Si I take your point but I still maintain that e-mails introduced a new informality that replaced the previous formality of letters or office memos.
And how much more it still meant back then … Everything becomes quite fast shallow and kinda worthless nowadays, with all that speed. Fun, more, at times as well, but still .. it’s like a snowflake .. or like a breeze …
With Valentine .. most stil prefer a postcard/letter (handwritten) above a tweeted message, or other texting.
At least those who were used to that style. It triggers more intensity inside of a person. If coming from the one you had hoped for ofcourse .. ehehehe …
Tons of people nowadays only write their name on the back of a postcard .. which makes it already less valuable. Comes with age quite often as well. A lot of stuff seems to fake if you would have written it , not that you would not have meant it but you can already picture the receipient’s thoughts
Added to that was the business-card-sized “acquaintance cards” that were meant as an informal means of introduction when out on the pull in the late nineteenth century. They featured messages that were often cryptically put, such as “May ICU home?” offering something that could be viewed as a forerunner of txtspk.