I would, especially if I was alerted via email when there were unread messages in my inbox.

I am generally reluctant to email people directly for minor comments that I'd rather not post in public. I wind up just not communicating at all.

I also prefer to limit where my email address is posted online (obfuscated or not).

For serious things, email is generally worth it, but there still might be issues with spam filters or accidental deletions.