Instant messaging is NOT a good substitute for email, because it requires that everyone be simultaneously available over an always-on Internet connection. Emai

Instant messaging is NOT a good substitute for email, because it requires that everyone be simultaneously available over an always-on Internet connection. Email in contrast enables asynchronous communication over unreliable Internet connections. Wiki-style or Facebook-style application might SEEM better alternatives to email, but as soon as most people in the company start using these applications instead of email, guess what? All those superfluous, time-wasting messages that were clogging up the email system will start clogging up the new applications. It's human nature. A much better approach IMO would be to transition away from old-fashioned corporate email applications like OutLook/Exchange to newer ones (like Gmail) that make employees more productive/efficient.