I maintain that people communicate differently and some are much better in certain mediums than others. Some people express themselves better through written words, art, music, etc. Saying face to face communication is always the best way everytime for every person is wrong.<p>Even for the awkward nerd in all of us - maybe you talk to someone online and you're totally relaxed and being somewhat smooth and then you blow it in person by being a nervous wreck - you still got further through indirect communication than you would have had you just spent 5 minutes with them initially without talking online first, which is my point. I'm not saying being good at indirect communication is all you need, just that some people can get further with it than they can with direct interaction. The basics still need to be in place (general attraction to each other, ability to speak in the presence of a woman, etc).