Strangely, many young facebookizens aren't very net savvy (facebook is their internet) & they have little desire to go beyond the walled garden -- just like the old AOL users. There's even a proprietary Facebook messaging system (kids don't use much open internet email).

Hm. Interesting. I've never heard anything remotely similar to this, and I don't see any sources.

When you have this many people on your app, this will always be true.

90% of people in general are not net savvy.

There's a difference between "Not savvy" and "Like an AOL user, and unaware of the rest of the Internet or the existence of email." He's making a crazy claim -- it's like saying that most people who drive Fords aren't sure about the distinction between a "carburetor" and a "door".

Most people who drive any sort of car don't know what a carburetor is. Heifermann's comment is hyperbolic, but not that far off the mark. There has to be a huge percentage of facebook and myspace users who NEVER use email. My own inbox is primarily turning into a collection box for online receipts and bank statement notices, just as my real-life mailbox has turned into a collection box for ... bank statements and other administrative paperwork I never read.

But you really think that people in college -- people who receive transcripts, syllabuses, and class announcements through email -- are the group most likely to abandon their inboxes?

And AOL is still alive (sort of) today. Facebook would be lucky to be the next AOL. It means they will merge with NewsCorp (read TimeWarner) someday instead of being bought out by them like MySpace.

meatless.