[only one more, then I can start on Roll Call!]
Are PBeM (Play-by-email) games actually roleplaying? Why or why not? How does PBeM differ from or approximate roleplaying face-to-face, or other activities that you feel it is similar to?
Since it's how I got into roleplaying, I have to come down on the side of YES, it is.
I started gaming back in the day on Compuserve. Most specifically in what was called then a CON (short for CONference) game, but now would be called a chat. But not long after that, I started in my first play-by-message-board game (and let me tell you, the thing I miss *most* about CIS is its message board system). I still have all the logs...somewhere.
That allowed me to branch out into face-to-face (or ftf) games, because I needed some game material and the guy at the local store asked if I wanted to join his game.
But in those dark, early years, all my gaming was done online.
Now, PBeM is a little different than message board gaming, I think. It's tough for me to describe the difference, but there is one. Part of it is the public-ness of message board. Everyone not in the game gets to watch, as long as the threads are public. PBeM most often only includes those actively involved in the thread, and absolutely no one who isn't even in the game able to watch.
But then again, most ftf games don't have spectators, unless you're playing at a convention or a game store, and folk (are allowed to) come by to watch.
For ftf games, you can get the immediate reaction of the player and thereby the character. You're not confused by the tone or the attitude of the character - it's right there on display. Immediacy is the key word with FTF games. You get everything done much more quickly.
But ftf games often can't allow for the private conversations that PBeM games do. Unless your players/GM allow for a long time of just two or three folk talking off by themselves, those have to be done out of game time. If even those are allowed.
They can also restrict individual character development, because the group tends to be paramount (not always, especially not with my WEF Amber game, but still true with many other games.). Back in the day, when I was running Calypso/Ingrid (the MPD character mentioned in the previous WISH answer), Lou and I would spend hours just the two of us (and this was before we were involved!) gaming with just Ingrid and Moirin (his NPC), or Calypso and Moirin (less frequently, but still done). But that was all done out of game time, on our own time. None of the other characters got as much face time with the GM as Ingrid did.
In PBeM, the immediacy is gone. You can have some of it, if folk are quick to respond to emails. But there's always the chance of others being left behind, and the GM having to retcon what really happened, if PCs jumped the gun and moved farther than they should have.
But it can also be hella slow. Waiting for busy players to respond, or just waiting for every player to get the chance to respond. In large games, this can take weeks before things get moving.
There's also a slight sense of distance, at least to me, with PBeM. I can play someone wildly different than me, because I can take a day (or more) to figure out how the character would respond to the insult/proposal/opportunity that has just landed in the inbox.
I get to write more with PBeM. I used to write more for my ftf characters, diaries and logs and all manner of things. That has fallen by the wayside with the number of games I play in ftf. Hells, I haven't done a log for the game I run in almost a year. I really need to get back to doing that, dammit!
But I play in two weekly games, one every-other-week game, one once-a-month game, one whenever-the-schedule-allows game, and I run an every other-week game. I also play currently in one active PBeM (yes, Jenn, I owe you a post!), and one rather lapsed PBeM (whither TRiH?), one whenever-everyone-remembers-to-post PBeM (Whither SBE?). I stopped running my play-by-message-board game, because I just can't keep interest in a game long enough to keep it going. Plus, I have issues with having to visit a place to post - I don't do it. *shrugs* Holdover from burnout on CIS? Possibly.
I wish I was in more PBeMs, but I don't think I could just join one that was already in progress, or I didn't know all the participants. I often miss the days of composing posts on CIS for Glyneth, or Celebanna (though that was mainly a CON game), or whomever. But I'm in enough ftf games to keep my interest going. No burnout yet.