Your comment nails the point. Email is to internet communication, as text files is to storing file data. It's the most basic form that's usable. Sure, you coul

Your comment nails the point. Email is to internet communication, as text files is to storing file data. It's the most basic form that's usable. Sure, you could bolt on abstractions over it like doc/rtf etc. but at the most fundamental level you need some form of cross compatibility.