---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The basic idea of email has remained…"
description: "\"The basic idea of email has remained essentially unchanged since the first networked message was sent in 1971. And while email is great for one-on-one,..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/ryan-holmes-7072_basic_the-basic-idea-of-email-has-remained-ess_2994540.png"
---

#  The basic idea of email has remained essentially unchanged…

![“The basic idea of email has remained essentially unchanged since the first networked message was sent in 1971. And while email is great for one-on-one, formal correspondence, there are far better tools for collaboration.” quote by Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/ryan-holmes-7072_basic_the-basic-idea-of-email-has-remained-ess_2994540.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/ryan-holmes-7072_basic_the-basic-idea-of-email-has-remained-ess_2994540.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/ryan-holmes-7072_basic_the-basic-idea-of-email-has-remained-ess_2994540.png)

> “The basic idea of email has remained essentially unchanged since the first networked message was sent in 1971. And while email is great for one-on-one, formal correspondence, there are far better tools for collaboration.”

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Email’s core concept hasn’t changed, but it’s limited for modern collaborative work.

**In simple terms:** Email is old and not ideal for teamwork.

Key Takeaway

Use collaborative tools for team projects.

Themes

communication collaboration technology

Mood

practical informative

Type

advice observational

When to use this quote

- project management
- remote work
- brainstorming
- document sharing
- task tracking

Key Concepts

email evolution teamwork tools

Questions to Reflect On

- How can teams replace email with better tools?
- What collaboration features matter most?

A Different Perspective

Email lacks real‑time interaction and version control.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[1971 Email](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/1971-email-4723519/) [Basic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration/) [Correspondence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/correspondence/) [Email](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/email/) [Email Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/email-great-4723520/) [Email Remained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/email-remained-4723521/) [Essentially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentially/) [Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/far/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Formal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formal/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Idea Email](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-email-4723517/) [Message](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/message/) [Networked Message](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/networked-message-4723518/) [One on one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-on-one/) [Remained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remained/) [Sent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sent/) [Since](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/since/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Unchanged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unchanged/) [While](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/while/)

## Related quotes

> [The point is that instead of a monolithic brick of printed content - delivered more or less unchanged to all subscribers - social media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/the-point-is-that-instead-of-a-monolithic-brick-of-printed-content/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [To visit certain streets was to realise that only the sky remained unchanged there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadeem-aslam/to-visit-certain-streets-was-to-realise-that-only-the-sky-remained/)

[Nadeem Aslam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadeem-aslam/)

> [“If Quality were dropped, only rationality would remain unchanged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/if-quality-were-dropped-only-rationality-would-remain-unchanged/)

[Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/)

> [“The child you once were lives on within you unchanged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-child-you-once-were-lives-on-within-you-unchanged/)

[Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/)

> [His goodness stands approved,Unchanged from day to day;I'll drop my burden at His feet,And bear a song away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-doddridge/his-goodness-stands-approved-unchanged-from-day-to-day-i-ll-drop-my/)

[Philip Doddridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-doddridge/)

> [Warwick Castle, built of the very centuries, cannot be expected to alter with time's 'brief hours and weeks' - at least, with so few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-lee-bates/warwick-castle-built-of-the-very-centuries-cannot-be-expected-to/)

[Katharine Lee Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-lee-bates/)

> [If you don't change, then what's the point of anything happening to you? It'll still be happening to an unchanged person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/if-you-don-t-change-then-what-s-the-point-of-anything-happening-to/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [“Whatever Elisabeth did, Franz Joseph's affection remained unchanged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigitte-hamann/whatever-elisabeth-did-franz-joseph-s-affection-remained-unchanged/)

[Brigitte Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigitte-hamann/)

> [“A book--the book that was, for some reason, THE book--can be reread, unchanged. Only we have changed. And that makes all the difference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/a-book-the-book-that-was-for-some-reason-the-book-can-be-reread/)

[Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/)

> [“And so things go unchanged and unaccepted, and our arms and heart grow weary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/and-so-things-go-unchanged-and-unaccepted-and-our-arms-and-heart-grow/)

[Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/)

> [“There are those who like things just they are and will stop at nothing to keep them that way, and those who understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-wander-bonanno/there-are-those-who-like-things-just-they-are-and-will-stop-at/)

[Margaret Wander Bonanno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-wander-bonanno/)

> [Just as the common law derives from ancient precedents - judges' decisions - rather than statutes, baseball's codes are the game's distilled mores. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/just-as-the-common-law-derives-from-ancient-precedents-judges/)

[George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/)

> [There’s no way you can kill someone and get to the other side of the experience unchanged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/there-s-no-way-you-can-kill-someone-and-get-to-the-other-side-of-the/)

[Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/)

> [“I could say the world is ending tomorrow, and no one would care. I could say the world will go forever, and no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/i-could-say-the-world-is-ending-tomorrow-and-no-one-would-care-i/)

[Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/)

> [If anything remains more or less unchanged, it will be the role of women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-riesman/if-anything-remains-more-or-less-unchanged-it-will-be-the-role-of/)

[David Riesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-riesman/)

## More by Ryan Holmes

> [By allowing multiple partners to contribute, an open platform can nurture an entire ecosystem of developers and apps. Good products integrate and become great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/by-allowing-multiple-partners-to-contribute-an-open-platform-can/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [Everyone told me you can't build a major tech company in Canada. There just aren't enough investors or engineers or top-level managers. Each day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/everyone-told-me-you-can-t-build-a-major-tech-company-in-canada-there/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [Amongst high unemployment rates, a competitive job market and a shrinking global economy, the emerging social media industry only continues to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/amongst-high-unemployment-rates-a-competitive-job-market-and-a/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [Social media is the future, with employers recognizing they need to start hiring people with the right skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/social-media-is-the-future-with-employers-recognizing-they-need-to/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [As technology has improved, our digital lives have only grown more tangled and cluttered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/as-technology-has-improved-our-digital-lives-have-only-grown-more/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [Without grounding, it's easy to embrace the 'baller' lifestyle: dropping out of tech, throwing money at cars, boats and real estate, and slipping into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/without-grounding-it-s-easy-to-embrace-the-baller-lifestyle-dropping/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [As social is where consumers' eyeballs are, businesses must take ownership of their online company profiles. By providing their customers with a place to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/as-social-is-where-consumers-eyeballs-are-businesses-must-take/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [While social media skills were once a 'nice-to-have,' accreditation in the space is becoming a requirement for many of these job titles. Hiring managers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/while-social-media-skills-were-once-a-nice-to-have-accreditation-in/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [I'm motivated by solving new and challenging problems, especially ones that people say can't or shouldn't be tackled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/i-m-motivated-by-solving-new-and-challenging-problems-especially-ones/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [I don't know how many times I've turned to Twitter and Facebook to commiserate and celebrate, bounce ideas off of friends, colleagues and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/i-don-t-know-how-many-times-i-ve-turned-to-twitter-and-facebook-to/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [During the early days of HootSuite, when social media was still seen as a fad, I made the decision to treat our funding as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/during-the-early-days-of-hootsuite-when-social-media-was-still-seen/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [Companies and managers that find a way to harness social media stand to gain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/companies-and-managers-that-find-a-way-to-harness-social-media-stand/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [Silicon Valley isn't the only game in town. Tech is increasingly decentralized. Around the world, new tech centers with younger companies are able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/silicon-valley-isn-t-the-only-game-in-town-tech-is-increasingly/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [Workflow and usability are not afterthoughts; they impact the core of any project and dictate how it should be engineered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/workflow-and-usability-are-not-afterthoughts-they-impact-the-core-of/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

> [I often talk about the PayPal mafia out of San Francisco, people that were in PayPal and got out of PayPal and continue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/i-often-talk-about-the-paypal-mafia-out-of-san-francisco-people-that/)

[Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

[Explore all 95 Ryan Holmes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/)

## More Basic quotes

> [It turns out that this part of the brain is one of the first areas that's attacked by Alzheimer's disease. So we can now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-keefe/it-turns-out-that-this-part-of-the-brain-is-one-of-the-first-areas/)

[John O'Keefe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-keefe/)

> [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/)

[Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/)

> [I'm not very interested in people. I recognize it in myself - there is a basic indifference toward people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-m-not-very-interested-in-people-i-recognize-it-in-myself-there-is-a/)

[Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/)

> [Once I get out onstage, it's the same sort of basic production that it is anywhere else. But I might be a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-snow/once-i-get-out-onstage-it-s-the-same-sort-of-basic-production-that-it/)

[Phoebe Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-snow/)

> [I firmly believe that if members of Congress fail to perform their most basic duty in passing a budget, then they do not deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-schrader/i-firmly-believe-that-if-members-of-congress-fail-to-perform-their/)

[Kurt Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-schrader/)

> [Conservatism is about the basic rights of individuals. God created us. As far as the government goes, the Founding Fathers based the Constitution off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wurzelbacher/conservatism-is-about-the-basic-rights-of-individuals-god-created-us/)

[Joe Wurzelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wurzelbacher/)

> [During three decades from 1947 to 1977, the nation implemented what might be called a basic bargain with American workers. Employers paid them enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/during-three-decades-from-1947-to-1977-the-nation-implemented-what/)

[Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/)

> [With post offices and postal workers already on the ground, USPS could partner with banks to make a critical difference for millions of Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/with-post-offices-and-postal-workers-already-on-the-ground-usps-could/)

[Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/)

> [We hope that the elected officials will respond positively to a ground swell of letters, phone calls, e-mails and visits from parents. The law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-hope-that-the-elected-officials-will-respond-positively-to-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Had Elizabeth Bennet known how wildly Darcy's heart beat for her, 'Pride and Prejudice' would barely have made it into a short story. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/had-elizabeth-bennet-known-how-wildly-darcy-s-heart-beat-for-her/)

[Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/)

> [I think it's impossible to maintain a good, strong, muscular physique without taking some supplements. Between the protein shakes and the multivitamins that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gatt/i-think-it-s-impossible-to-maintain-a-good-strong-muscular-physique/)

[Joseph Gatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gatt/)

> [The Icesave matter is complex and it is understandable that the issue has been oversimplified by many. Unfortunately some of the basic facts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-siguroardottir/the-icesave-matter-is-complex-and-it-is-understandable-that-the-issue/)

[Johanna Siguroardottir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-siguroardottir/)

> [“The late-afternoon light was thick and orange and she passed four different couples taking photos of themselves on the same cobblestoned block, all their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/the-late-afternoon-light-was-thick-and-orange-and-she-passed-four/)

[Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/)

> [Why do we do basic research? To learn about ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/why-do-we-do-basic-research-to-learn-about-ourselves/)

[Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/)

> [Most of all, I am struck by an irony central to the lot of a purebred dog: As it attains the hallmarks of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-hanff-korelitz/most-of-all-i-am-struck-by-an-irony-central-to-the-lot-of-a-purebred/)

[Jean Hanff Korelitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-hanff-korelitz/)

[Browse all 478 Basic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The basic idea of email has remained essentially unchanged since the first networked message was sent in 1971. And while email is great for one-on-one, formal correspondence, there are far better tools for collaboration.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ryan Holmes"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/the-basic-idea-of-email-has-remained-essentially-unchanged-since-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Basic"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/the-basic-idea-of-email-has-remained-essentially-unchanged-since-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/ryan-holmes-7072_basic_the-basic-idea-of-email-has-remained-ess_2994540.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/ryan-holmes-7072_basic_the-basic-idea-of-email-has-remained-ess_2994540.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/ryan-holmes-7072_basic_the-basic-idea-of-email-has-remained-ess_2994540.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The basic idea of email has remained essentially unchanged since the first networked message was sent in…” — Ryan Holmes",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ryan Holmes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The basic idea of email has...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/the-basic-idea-of-email-has-remained-essentially-unchanged-since-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/the-basic-idea-of-email-has-remained-essentially-unchanged-since-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
