[lmm]

An email address feels more intimate - it's something a romantic partner would have but a friend wouldn't necessarily. And asking someone for an email address is asking them to spend thirty seconds spelling things out (particularly in a bar), and another thirty waiting for you to send them an email to confirm. Facebook is just a question of typing their name, which you already know - often it can autocomplete based on your network - and they get a notification if you've done it right without needing any extra step.

[simoncion]

I appreciate the reply, but I was rather interested in estonian's thoughts on the matter.

But, while we're here:

> Facebook is just a question of typing their name...

Many folks in my peer group used an (often oddly-spelled) nym when they created their Facebook account long, long ago. (Also, many folks in my peer group abandoned their FB account long ago, but that's another matter entirely. ;) )

> ...and another thirty [seconds] waiting for you to send them an email to confirm.

They way I've seen this handled is to either show the person how you spelt the email address, or have them wait for the "new email" notification to confirm that you did, indeed spell the address correctly.

Yet another way is to hand your conversation partner a business card.

[lmm]

Your cohort carries business cards? They seem so... old. And wouldn't they have your business email rather than your personal one?

[simoncion]

The minority of them do, yes. And they never carry work business cards[0]; these are personal "business" cards. (I guess the name is a bit of a misnomer in this case. ;) )

[0] Doing so would be really, really strange for anyone who wasn't in sales [1] (and even then, it would be a little strange).

[1] Or, I guess, one of the founders of a tiny startup.

[jschwartzi]

I feel like the typing/confirmation issue could be solved by adding a QR code generator to your email app, and having them scan the QR code on your phone to share details.

You already have your phone out, and they probably have to take theirs out to confirm, so it doesn't add anything that doesn't already exist. But this application of QR Codes saves typing in a good way.

[detaro]

Assuming the other person has a QR code reader app and knows how to use it.

And if you want their info vs giving them yours, then they also have to know how to get their address displayed as a code.

Technically no problem, in practice I wouldn't expect it to work.

[saryant]

Facebook used to have this feature but I can't find it anymore. I only found out about it after meeting someone in Tokyo and have never been able to find the feature since which leads me to wonder if it's geofenced.