[0xffff2]

We clearly exist in radically different worlds. To me, sending that email is talking directly to the group. Nobody at my org uses Skype (our organization's IM service of choice). Email works just fine. If it's actually important and the person or people you're emailing are actually available, email is no slower than IM/chat.

[dugluak]

I agree Email is slow is an arguable statement, for email you need to add recipients sometimes CC and BCC carefully plus you need Hi/Hello/Thanks/Signature etc which makes it more formal for daily communication for getting things done. My Second issue with email is, in the above example let's say Bob and Alice have different questions about Lazarus's email and start typing their responses at the same time and send them. Now you have 2 different threads of the email and this can go on and on and in no time you have chains of emails flying around. Let's say John (one of the people copied on that email) is on vacation. He is going to have tough time trying to go through that mess and piece everything together.