The modern world offers us more options for communication than ever before. From written letters to videoconferencing, it is quite easy to stay in contact with clients and vendors from around the world. However, the wealth of options can be confusing. Many of the new technologies are expensive, and it is up to the consumer to make decisions that balance cost with usability.

Nowadays it is relatively easy to use a computer as a multi purpose communications tool for ones home business, since software programs can be obtained that provide phone service, fax capabilities, videoconferencing, and internet access. Alternatively, dedicated hardware can be used for each of these functions.

Whether or not to use your computer for various forms of communications depends largely on the power of your system. Communications tools are resource-heavy, requiring large amounts of free hard drive space, as well as taking over most of the computer’s RAM when in use. Additionally, most programs become resident in your system tray, meaning that they use a portion of your resources