Change or Die: Scholarly E-Mail Lists, Once Vibrant, Fight for Relevance. «The tenor of the Linguist List has evolved. "It used to be a discussion list, but it's not that so much anymore," said Ms. Aristar-Dry. "Now it's mainly job announcements, conference announcements, and book reviews." »
I wouldn't write off listservs yet. I can't speak for academics, but I belong to several very active email groups on various topics. I hope they don't transition to Twitter & Facebook formats. The character limit on Twitter can't possibly lend itself to any kind of real discussion, and with Facebook it would be difficult to maintain the separation between one's family, social, and professional lives that is essential for mental health. My mental health, anyway.
I wonder if anyone has begun to study the impact of Twitter and instant messaging on productivity in the workplace? It must be much more difficult for employers to monitor than internet usage.
I've told my wife that if I ever start to twitter, to commit me to a mental hospital immediately. For me it would be a sign of profound mental deterioration, maybe even grounds for euthanasia.