I'm not sure of your point. Http also allows you to identify the server. Forwarding mail servers are analogous to caching and forwarding proxies.
> other metadata and separate them from the message
Just like http.
> HTTP is just "this is the filename, this is the data.." It's not much more than a TCP stream really
No, it isn't. No more than SMTP, IMAP, and pop3 are.
What's the difference? An email address isn't a person, nor does it represent one.
> I truly don't understand why you're on about servers and transport protocols when this thread is about social networks.
Because it was mentioned that SMTP is the only decentralized protocol, and I disagreed.
I'm not sure of your point. Http also allows you to identify the server. Forwarding mail servers are analogous to caching and forwarding proxies.
> other metadata and separate them from the message
Just like http.
> HTTP is just "this is the filename, this is the data.." It's not much more than a TCP stream really
No, it isn't. No more than SMTP, IMAP, and pop3 are.