Technology for death?

A few days ago, I read this article on MSN - how there are pay-per-view funeral webcasts for friends and family who can't be there in person to attend the ceremony. I am extremely tech-friendly, but is this going too far? Or is it a convenient, efficient way for people who can't be there in person to mourn?

I've been involved with technology for over 6 years now, but things like this still amaze me and don't exactly leave me saying Woo-hoo, they've done it!

The company to launch this service is called Wesley Music and it went live online in Britain on Tuesday 04/01/08. They charge a one-time fee of $150 to access a funeral webcast.

My opinion is, that while it may serve beneficial to people scattered over the world, it will end up being used by people who don't need it. When was the last time you picked up a pen and paper to write a letter? One word: Email. Now, I'm not saying email is evil, hell, I love email, infact I even get emails from friends living on the East Coast who are too busy to call. :-).

The point is, that if something is online, people are not going to make the effort to do it otherwise. I use myself as an example; Everything from my phone bill to internet to gas and electricity is paid online. Hospitals even let you set up an account online where the doctor leaves his/her comments about your test and reports.

While I think that all these services are convenient, somehow I am unable to get over the idea of viewing a funeral online. It seems morbid and disrespectful, and I'm not sure whether it will serve the purpose it is supposed to.