Twitter to replace email by 2018

Technologists have today make the bold claim that all current online communication will be replaced by Twitter by the year 2018. All existing electronic communication, including website articles, online forums, e-cards, and especially emails, will allegedly go the way of the dodo, with 140 character brevity being the name of the game.

"It's bound to happen," said Doug Jones of Ars Technican't. "Being forced to distil ideas into 140 character soundbites is really the way forward. If we can also learn to eliminate text (or leet) speak, then we really are left with a fantastic method of communication. As Shakespeare once said: Brevity is the soul of wit. And we have become witless wonders, indeed."

The claims have so far caused disturbances throughout most of the internet. Some have drawn parallels to the original SMS limit of 160 characters, which was itself soon eradicated by technology upgrades, eventually allowing for multi-message conversations of any length. Twitter, too, has flirted with the concept of increasing its character limit, but has so far remained unswayed. The largest criticism has come from those dismissing the claim that it could replace email.

"Email is the cornerstone of modern communication," continued Doug Jones. "It would be a surprise if people weren't outraged. But technology moves on. We've gone from carving out stone slabs to papyrus, to slate, paper and now the internet. The evolution of technology isn't worth fighting. We must all surrender and lower our trousers accordingly."

Personally I think it's a stupid idea. 140 characters doesn't allow enough room to finish a pithy sentence. #twitter