When users use computers, they are interested in solving a problem, not in using an application.
For example, users are not interested in email applicaitons, but in communicating. Users rarely ask, “I want to send an email, where should I send it?” Instead, they ask “I wand to communicate with X. What kind of communication can Fred receive? Of these, which is most appropriate?”
The operating system should, therefore, host a single pervasive address book that would contain all a user’s contacts for all communication methods allowed by the system. A simple plug-in architecture should make this extensible, as new communication methods are developed.
Agree? Disagree? Please leave comments if you have something to say!