1. Email has to be replaced with a new protocol. This new protocol should be a todo list protocol, not a messaging protocol.

2. The new protocol should give more power to the recipient than email like

a)more restrictions on what someone can put on my todo list.

b)Information about what action I need to take on a to-do list item. Like, do I need to read something or take any further action on it like replying, forwarding, viewing attachment, paying attached bill, watching video etc. ?

c)How important it is? There obviously has to be some mechanism to prevent people from saying everything is important.

d)When does it have to be done? Is it urgent? Do I need to do it before a given time?

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I would like to ask some questions about it from both PG and HN community :

1. In an email there are only few actions one is supposed to take, like "Read", "Read & Reply", "Read & Forward", "View attachments". What other actions you think that should be incorporated in new to-do list based system?If not all, what are the important ones for you?

2. How would you like to prioritize to-do items by importance? What are the rules? Like, giving importance to to-do items from specific "circle" of peoples you know - Colleagues, family, etc.? or by type/content of to-do item? or anything else?

3. What kind of things one can put on your to-do list? What kind of things one shouldn't be allowed to put in your to-do list?

4. Do we really need a new protocol? Can't it be done by making a distributed client/server system where anyone can setup an open source to-do list server(if they need to own and control their information for privacy reasons) and clients can communicate through HTTP protocol (REST API)?

5. Is there any YC company or other startup that is working on this idea?

Please share your thoughts.