"To 99.99% of people who use email, Paul is correct: "Email is not a messaging protocol. It's a todo list. Or rather, my inbox is a todo list, and email is the way things get onto it."

I don't agree with this, in fact I feel this projecting the email power user's use of email onto everyone. At the end of the day, I think most people just want to email each other a message or a small file or pics of their kids or the latest dumb chain email. I do use my email as a todo list personally I write those elswhere, I do send myself links through email but I've configure Gmail to recognize that and put them in my bookmark label.

I also agree with the post, email does what it's meant to do well and you can build clients to do all the features you are asking for.