As like most editors, much of my interaction with PR people is through email. This can lead to amusing realizations, like the time I attended an event and was introduced to a female rep when I was expecting a guy (she has a typically male name that can also be for a woman). And yesterday afternoon I was struck by how casual my communication has become with people I've never met face-to-face. I'm even guilty of using the dreaded emoticon.

I find I pick up on the cues of whomever I am "conversing" with, and as they become more casual, so do I. With many of my regular contacts, I've developed a friendliness akin to that of long-time real-life friends, and I wonder whether I am sacrificing professionalism for a cordial relationship. Does the medium – email – demand it?