RSS is a big buzz word right now, and this question has been popping up all over
place. Will RSS ever replace email?
In short,
answer is no.
RSS will never totally replace email because they each do totally different things.
RSS was designed for a totally different purpose than email, and technologically speaking, it would be impossible for RSS to do everything email can.
Consider this analogy: RSS and Email are like TV and telephone.
If you want to reach a broad audience of spectators, you use
TV or RSS. Consumers like TV because they hold
remote and can change
channel at will. They have total control. Likewise they can an RSS feed at any time if they so choose, and instantly
source of information is totally gone, never to return against
person's will.
Email is like
telephone: You can email or call anyone based on their phone number or email address, and they can call you or email you back. Consumers like email and
telephone because of
two-way communication. But with
two-way communication comes
possiblity of having annoying telemarketers and spammers along with it. And boy do they come!