> Email as a decentralized protocol is basically dead at this point. While I wouldn't consider it healthy, it is far from dead. Billions of emails are sent eve

> Email as a decentralized protocol is basically dead at this point. While I wouldn't consider it healthy, it is far from dead. Billions of emails are sent every day from untold numbers of operators, few of whom have a direct relationship with one another. Few systems can claim that level of use and distribution. Email users can choose from a number of free or paid providers. None of those providers had to request access to participate in the email network, such as requesting API keys from Twitter or Meta to participate on their platforms. This is not to say email is easy or without gatekeepers! This is only to say it's possible for a determined and technically capable operator, whether an individual or an organization, to participate in the global email system without having to ask any one entity for permission. Again: I'm not trying to assert it's a particularly healthy federated ecosystem, but I would argue it's still a successful one.