Why not? They could use an algorithm that checks if the message looks important, and if it doesn't, asks the sender if it's urgent. They already do it for messages that are out of hours anyway.

Some users prefer simple predictability (with the ability to customise) over 'smart' functions with inscrutable behaviour.

Just look at how often people complain about Facebook/Twitter/Youtube making it hard to see a chronological list of all posts from everyone you've followed.

The killer feature is not a Slack client deciding that something intentionally directed at you can be ignored.

It's the Slack server generating a realtime stream of things you probably should be involved in.

I.e. Enterprise Twitter for people in the organization who need your help

How does Slack get there? Compile an interaction graph and feature mine previous interactions.

Slack should be Facebook... except for productivity.

> It's the Slack server generating a realtime stream of things you probably should be involved in.

I think Slack should copy an idea from email - show a simple timeline of messages related to the user in a single place. Sometimes I see a message came in and can't tell who sent it if I already have multiple unanswered messages waiting.

I think Slack's lack of emphasis on feed-style interfaces is because the company thinks it's a communication tool, but its core value source is as an unstructured store and feed of business communication data. Being a highly used communication tool is table stakes for getting the latter.

Email never evolved because legacy.

IRC never cared about enterprise.

Everything Microsoft ever put out (Lync, SharePoint, Lync-Skype, Teams) has been corrupted by their spineless kowtowing to HR's assinine audit and control requirements, above usability.

Slack's progression should be the same as Facebook's: (1) build a tool people like and use (success!), (2) store everything, (3) continuously reverse engineer structure (organizational, expertise, and process) from everything, & (4) build and sell products that require (2) & (3) (and therefore that they have no competition for).

Unfortunately, it remains to be seen if they really understand the difference in value between (2) and (3).

I appreciate both feed-style interfaces and seeing the people-list with unread message counts. Slack could be improved with time-based feeds and email would benefit from adding people centred view. One advantage of Slack is that it provides a model of the team and topics (channels), while mail is mostly unstructured.