For virtually any topic you can think of there is a discussion list. You receive a copy of every e-mail sent to the list manager. Copies of any e-mail you send to the list manager are sent to everyone on the list. This mechanism produces an ongoing and wide-ranging discussion. Many times, the leading lights in a field are regular participants.
People tend to share a lot of practical knowledge.
It is rare to see a question that goes unanswered. You can make friends all around the word. And, there is no better way to learn about new developments. Taming the E-mail Tiger. E-mail, however, raises many important management issues.