(S1)Before the adventof computers and modern technology, people communicating over long distances used traditional means such as letters and the telephone.(S2)Nowadays we have a vast array ofcommunication tools which can complete this task, ranging from email to instant messaging and video calls.(S3)While the present and previous means of communicationare similarin theirgeneral form, theydifferin regard to theirspeedand therange of tools available.(S4)There are clearly many differences in the way we communicate over long distances, the most notable of which is speed.(S5)This is mostevidentin relation to written forms of communication.(S6)In the past, letters would take days to arrive at their destination.(S7)In contrast, an email arrives almost instantaneously and can be read seconds after itissent.(S8)In the past, if it was necessary to send a short message, for example at work, a memo could be passed around the office, which would take some time to circulate.(S9)Thisis different fromthe current situation, in which a text message can be sent immediately.(S10)Another significant difference is the range of communication methods.(S11)Fifty years ago, the tools available for communicating over long distances were primarily the telephone and the letter.(S12)By comparison, there are a vast array of communication methods available today.(S13)These include not only the telephone, letter, email and text messages already mentioned, but also video conferences via software such as Skype or mobile phone apps such as Wechat, and social media such as Facebook and Twitter.(S14)In conclusion, methods of communication have greatly advanced over the past fifty years.(S15)While there are some similarities, such as theforms of communication, there are significant differences, chiefly in relation to thespeed of communicationand therange of communication tools available.(S16)There is no doubt that technology will continue to progress in future, and the advanced tools which we use today may one day also become outdated.