3 ms·

While I would tend agree with you that we don't need to change email, your examples actually do fit quite nicely into the "email as to-do list" idea: An email

While I would tend agree with you that we don't need to change email, your examples actually do fit quite nicely into the "email as to-do list" idea: An email from Nan would be a "read and reply" task. The email from Mr. Mamboto, assuming it's not caught by my spam filter, also requires me to take action.

matthewowen 14y ago
I disagree with this quite strongly. If you think that 'an email from Nan' is a 'read and reply' task, then you can turn everything you ever do into a to-do list. Buying a steak is a to-do item because you have to cook it. Discussing what someone's reading at the moment is a to-do item because you have to decide whether to buy the book they suggested. Etc, etc. Almost everything we do either completes a task or creates a new one, if you want to see it that way. For extremely busy people, everything becomes a to-do list. And this is why I'm somewhat unconvinced by PG's notions of email as to-do list. It probably is if you're a busy and successful person who gets a lot of business information and requests via email. To my mind, the reason email seems that way more than other communications is largely because email clients give you pretty good ways of turning those communications directly into to-do items (unlike, say, the telephone, where you have to explicitly consider and organise the tasks that come from those communications).
harel 14y ago
Mamboto's email requires you to take no action what so ever. Its not for you. Its for the gullible 0.001%. You are clever. To me, a to do list is a to do list. That's it. Everything else from breathing to going to the loo can be seen as to do if you squint hard enough but its not. Its just part of life's action and reaction. Like I said, its not email that's broken. If anything its (arguably) the email clients.

3 ms·

While I would tend agree with you that we don't need to change email, your examples actually do fit quite nicely into the "email as to-do list" idea: An email

by simantel 14y ago

matthewowen 14y ago
I disagree with this quite strongly. If you think that 'an email from Nan' is a 'read and reply' task, then you can turn everything you ever do into a to-do list. Buying a steak is a to-do item because you have to cook it. Discussing what someone's reading at the moment is a to-do item because you have to decide whether to buy the book they suggested. Etc, etc. Almost everything we do either completes a task or creates a new one, if you want to see it that way. For extremely busy people, everything becomes a to-do list. And this is why I'm somewhat unconvinced by PG's notions of email as to-do list. It probably is if you're a busy and successful person who gets a lot of business information and requests via email. To my mind, the reason email seems that way more than other communications is largely because email clients give you pretty good ways of turning those communications directly into to-do items (unlike, say, the telephone, where you have to explicitly consider and organise the tasks that come from those communications).
harel 14y ago
Mamboto's email requires you to take no action what so ever. Its not for you. Its for the gullible 0.001%. You are clever. To me, a to do list is a to do list. That's it. Everything else from breathing to going to the loo can be seen as to do if you squint hard enough but its not. Its just part of life's action and reaction. Like I said, its not email that's broken. If anything its (arguably) the email clients.