Whatever makes you comfortable is the most important, but I think you are just rearranging the deck chairs.

I will say that despite my view that text on a screen is text on a screen, I must say the the learning management system I use for online courses has a threaded discussion system we use that I do not care for. It is more the asynchronous nature of it than the format, but the stairstep format is also not to my liking. I would rather the student responses be sent to me by email. I like everything in one place.

Then again there is the unfortunate email feature called Reply All that I do not think I need to discuss further, less my blood pressure rise again.

I still say that text on a screen is text on a screen. Try rules and filters to move the junk to the deleted folder.