As a software developer I'm of course inclined to say that a platform that inlines resources relevant to your discussion would be much better suited because of standardized layouts and workflows. But as you said: one more place to check.

> I'm aware that most people use instant messaging, but I like the slower pace and the lack of expectation to respond right away.

That seems to be a very common theme among people and I definitely appreciate this as well. Instant messaging has become so stressful but most people (me included) can't seem to quit because of the fear of missing out.

> Finally, the privacy issue -- to be honest, I don't much care. Perhaps this is the nature of my work, which I typically want to share as widely as possible.

It's a reasonable stance for sure as long as you're aware. Self-hosted emails, like most EDU emails are I assume, of course also mitigate some of the concerns. It's just creepy to think about how you're constantly being profiled my various vendors.

Thanks for your input. I really appreciate it.