
Life's Too Short for So Much E-Mail - iProject
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/life’s-too-short-for-so-much-e-mail/
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larrys
"Since technology hasn’t solved the problem it has created with e-mail, it
looks as if some younger people might come up with their own answer — not to
use e-mail at all. So I’m taking a cue from them."

What Nick Bilton is really saying is not that email isn't good. But that the
people that are sending him email aren't important enough to reply to. I'm
sure he's not going to fail to reply to an email or (change the method of
communications) with Arthur Sulzberger (Times publisher) or Larry Ellison.

I'm sure if he looses his job at the NY Times, and has to find a job, email
(and the people that write to him) will take on a new importance.

While I don't get 100 important emails per day I do (as many people) get
plenty of emails and I almost always respond to any that are personal (and not
spam or sales pitches to which replies are optional) to the best of my ability
as quickly as possible. I'm glad I get emails.

Nick (with all the out of work journalists) sounds a little like the celebrity
who is tired of being hounded by paparazzi. Or the pretty girl who doesn't
like all the attention from guys (see what Cybil Shepard has to say about that
now.)

Email still has a place in communications and serious business and many other
things as a communication medium. It's different if you are a teenager of
course.

~~~
edhallen
I think this distinction between personal and impersonal emails is a good one.
The frustration (for me at least) comes in when email isn't relevant, when
it's redundant, or when it's unnecessary. My guess is that the problem isn't
actually email itself - but it's instead the systems that keep it impersonal.

To paraphrase a blog entry I recently posted
([http://blog.klaviyo.com/2012/06/18/making-emails-better-
pers...](http://blog.klaviyo.com/2012/06/18/making-emails-better-personal-
outreach-side-automation/)), we need better informed, more intelligent systems
and thought to drive what emails are sent/received. For instance:

\- There's no reason a company should email me about a feature I already use
or a product I already buy. They know this - they just haven't bothered to
integrate their systems.

\- There's no reason I should have to send 10 emails to schedule a meeting
where/when everyone can make it. Our calendars should be able to make this
easy and painless.

\- There's no reason I should get 4 separate emails from friends containing
the same article. Can't I get one message saying four people sent you this?

As Seth Godin said in his Ted talk, something's broken. All of these examples
I cite can be solved - and there's a ton more just like them.

