Prior to when I joined Sun in '89, I remember "Memos" as the common method of communication between management and the ranks.   There were four distribution methods that I recall:

1.   Everyone got their own printed copy
2.   Posting on a bulletin board
3.   One copy sent around to the office with people signing a "Yup, I read it" distribution list before forwarding it on to the next person
4.   Posting of an electronic version using electronic mail

The first method ate up a lot of trees and helped convince the green generation to push for the paperless office.   The second method required people even noticing that the new memo had been posted.   The third method sometimes meant it took days, weeks, or even months for the guy at the bottom of the list to catch up with the rest of the office. (Comically, the fact that one had to initial that they had read the memo meant that the news was important.)   The fourth method, a new and rare creature, was not heavily relied upon for distribution of memos...   Not yet anyway.

So, when I joined Sun, it was quite a culture shock to go from a world of distributed memos, bulletin board postings, and initialed distribution lists, to a company where nearly all written communications were done via electronic mail.

By nature of the mail tools used, emails showed who they were from and to, and when they were sent.   The subject was optional.   And the format...   Well, say goodbye to the crisp clean lines of the memo:

---

    To:       All Hands
    From:     Joe Bloggs, Exec VP
    Subject:  Administrative Professionals Day
    Date:     April 25, 2006

---

    Effective today, bla dee bla bla bla....

Imagine my surprise to see that emails / memos at Sun were more free flowing.   Even the more carefully worded Sun wide "memos" back then seemed much more "casual", some starting simply with "Hi Gang!".   It was a culture shock, but highly refreshing as well.   It was all part of Sun's attitude and way of doing business.

So, after years of being used to this messier but casual style of communication, it's now quite strange to see that, thanks to the capabilities of browsers and imbedding of graphics, images, and links into emails, the more formal "memo" style is making a wee bit of a comeback!

I wonder if we'll also see the return of the "Yup, I read it, Boss" button...?