Why do we still need face-to-face when we can be screen-to-screen?

With its future matchmaking platform and iPhone app + its current Knowledge markets, E-180 allows us to know at any time who, in our surroundings, is willing to spend an hour with us to help jumpstarting our learning in any field. We aim to connect people who would be interested meeting in person to share knowledge, over a coffee for instance. The question we often get is : why meet in person when you could chat with whomever on Skype? Why limit knowledge sharing to a geographic location when the whole world is offering itself to you through the Interwebs?

It is a good question. And we all know that we still enjoy meeting people, even the ones with whom we develop an online relationship, as the success of Tweetups and Meetup prove it. But what makes a live encounter more meaningful, and such a bounding experience? Well, I don’t know yet. But we are presenting the answer to that question to Ignite Montreal on Febuary 8th, and it’d be nice to have something to say…

What do you think? Why do we still need face-to-face when we can be screen-to-screen? Read any article, had any experience that would help us to understand? You can also answer this question on Quora!