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Yet Another Premature Declaration of Email's Death

Posted by kdawson on from the to-from-subject-dammit dept.

mvip tips the latest in a long line of premature announcements of the demise of email. "The Wall Street Journal article Why Email No Longer Rules is making the rounds online. Fast Company provided a fast response, highlighting the technical shortcomings of trying to replace email with Facebook and Twitter (where do the attachments go?). Email Service Guide points out that Facebook and Twitter are ineffective for one-off communications. With Google Wave on the horizon, we'll probably have to go through the whole charade yet again."

5 of 266 comments (clear)

  1. The Right Tool for the Right Job by sopssa · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That's all it comes down to.

    But email was better suited to the way we used to use the Internet—logging off and on, checking our messages in bursts. Now, we are always connected, whether we are sitting at a desk or on a mobile phone. The always-on connection, in turn, has created a host of new ways to communicate that are much faster than email, and more fun.

    Why wait for a response to an email when you get a quicker answer over instant messaging?

    Because you don't always need some response within 15 secs, nor do you want to always be responding to some questions that take away your time and concentration. Even if you have your email client open all the time, you can leave writing a reply to it for later time.

    If you know you need a quicker response, you send an IM or call my phone. Something in between and you send an SMS.

    For that matter I dont want everyone to know everything about me, I dont want everyone to know I'm available or not, I dont want everyone to know all the other people I know, nor do I want everyone to know something that only certain people should know.There's also no way you'll get me to install facebook or twitter apps on my phone. If I'm not on computer, there's no need to contact me other way than calling me (and I dont even always keep my phone with me - if I'm busy with other stuff, I'll call you back on better time)

    1. Re:The Right Tool for the Right Job by Interoperable · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Exactly right. Why would anyone confuse Facebook or Twitter with professional tools. An email can be a very professional means of communicating (provided that you employ proper grammar an etiquette). Social networking tools are great and may find a place to communicate between close colleagues but they should never be mistaken for a professional solution.

      --
      So if this is the future...where's my jet pack?
    2. Re:The Right Tool for the Right Job by tonyAG · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm in agreement with this as well. I'm so tired of businesses and employers thinking that I always want to be 'on'. This is their desire and dream.

      This is why I'm more protective of my time and privacy. Once you are leashed by today's technology, it become very hard to rid yourself of that shackle.

    3. Re:The Right Tool for the Right Job by tomhath · · Score: 5, Insightful
      There are basically three forms of communication we use:

      1) Synchronous Conversation - face-to-face, telephone, IM

      2) Asynchronous Mail - snail mail, email, fax, telegraph

      3) Broadcasting - mass media, blogging, Twitter, Facebook, Google Wave

      The article muddles all three together without recognizing that there's a place for each.

  2. Another overlooked e-mail strength by hotdiggity · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The article doesn't mention a major advantage of "legacy" e-mail - it's a standard that isn't tied to any particular company.

    Facebook, Google, Twitter, whatever, are "single-source vendors" of their particular products, and they can be subject to any kind of financial, moral, political, or technological problems.

    E-mail has no such dependencies. The only way to take it down is to take down the Internet in general. (Spam overloading aside.)