psychaholic, for a shiny coat! 4,888 13
11/13/2002 12:40 PM

It's worse than the tellephone. There si no 'ring' just a message that you are expected to respond to.



Though, it is cool if you are expecting it.

Professor Nutbutter 181,255 35
11/13/2002 12:42 PM

On the scale of means of communication, IM ranks somewhere below smoke signals for importance.



If someone you know and like calls you on the phone it is considered rude to just hang up without saying a word to them.



In the case of IMs, any number of things can drag them away from their computer. Especially at work, people's bosses walk in or they just get busy.



If someone ignores your IM, accept it as standard IM practice. Don't take it personally.

amymtn 662 10
11/13/2002 12:42 PM

What's more rude, ignoring an IM or sending an IM that says 'Hey' from some total stranger? (Worse, one that says 'heiy')



Or are you talking about ignoring actual friends?

Disco Hyper Superfly 3,290 11
11/13/2002 12:43 PM

I like chicken I like liver meow mix meow mix stop your bitching.

Squeamish 38,986 14
11/13/2002 12:44 PM

Some people stay logged on and "away" because they're watching to see who else logs on but don't want any incoming messages.

Merkin 10,008 13
11/13/2002 12:44 PM

<action>IMs Nutbutter, eagerly awaits response, cries

Disco Hyper Superfly 3,290 11
11/13/2002 12:46 PM

Ya know, you people have no clue about this stuff do ya?



Often I leave my chair for a few minutes so I may have a delay in my response. And if it is not in the form of a question,, I may not feel the need to respond. You know I got the message, right? So, why get all poutie if ya don't hear back.



I have 120 people in my IM program. You honestly think I can talk to that many people all the time.

Cut people slack. Unless you know they are ignoring you because you are a stalking creepy freak.

Disco Hyper Superfly 3,290 11
11/13/2002 12:47 PM

Some people stay logged on and "away" because they're watching to see who else logs on but don't want any incoming messages



Yea, but there is a really cool thing called ignore. It allows you to appear offline to people you do not want to converse with. Try using that.

Vex 5,948 11
11/13/2002 12:48 PM

I never answer the phone unless I feel like it. If I'm curled up reading with a cat in my lap, it's just not worth it for me to pick up the phone and tell some telemarketer to go the Frost away.



Similarly, I'll answer IMs only if it's convenient for me. I mean, no one's going to IM me saying "Shakespeare, Shakespeare! I'M ON FIRE! CALL 911!" and if they do, I'll promptly delete it.



My computer at home is far away from the alluring TV, telephone, bed, and comfy kitty chair, so sometimes I'll just wander away mid-conversation. It happens. Deal. It's only slightly more personal than email, and usually just blather.

Professor Nutbutter 181,255 35
11/13/2002 12:48 PM

Keep in mind too that IMing someone you're not intimately familiar with is sort of like making small talk with a cab driver. Some people are really good at it and actually enjoy it. Some of us are as interesting as watching grass grow and we have a hard time making small talk.



Or maybe we just hate you.

jellytot 3,504 11
11/13/2002 12:52 PM

I have IM at work, but not at home. If I'm at work I'm working. If I'm free I'll respond to IM. Usually if I'm busy I'll send a quick message back saying I'm not free.

I'm often away from my desk for a large part of the day, so I sometimes see an IM that's come in, but when I reply the person at the other end has logged off or is unavailable.

Sexhead, quick on the upmake 12,287 12
11/13/2002 12:53 PM

I, for one, am horrible at IMing. Me no good with the small talk.



So, unless I have had something insanely exciting happen to me that day, or I am chatting with someone who is a particularly good conversationalist (of which I do have perhaps two or three on my list) than a great many of my conversations get past the "Hey, what's up?" "Not much, what's going on with you?" "Nothing." stage.



That's even if I'm at the computer.

Professor Nutbutter 181,255 35
11/13/2002 12:53 PM

I occasionally leave Trillian on all weekend at work and when I come in Monday morning I'll have a bunch of "What's up?" messages waiting for me.



I promptly close them.

Neal Obstat 2,492 11
11/13/2002 12:55 PM

Similar to ZUG, yes?

Sexhead, quick on the upmake 12,287 12
11/13/2002 12:56 PM

a great many of my conversations get past the...





Uh, yeah, please read the above as, a great many of my conversations don't get past the...

Chackens, Morality Inspector 286,208 61
11/13/2002 01:00 PM

We don't have IM, but back when I had AOL (pre $20 a month for everbody and poor service days), I did. It sucked. Nothing like cruzing a porn room and having your mom pop up "Hey! See you're on line."





Heart attacks can be permanent.

Squidward 156,785 17
11/13/2002 01:05 PM

Geez Merkin, I'll answer your IM next time ok??? No need to get all huffy about it.

Chackens, Morality Inspector 286,208 61
11/13/2002 01:05 PM

There was this one guy who scanned all AOL's profiles for certain words, found we had one word in common, and proceeded to IM me everytime I logged on. Go away, nutjob.

John Hargrave 128,742 73
11/13/2002 07:48 PM

It is definitely acceptable not to respond to IMs. The only time it gets uncomfortable is if you're there, but don't have time to talk, and have to shut down your IM software right after, so the person knows you got it but didn't want to talk ... TO THEM.



The "away" message is, sadly, due to one of the few bugs in the otherwise great Trillian software -- that "away" message comes on no matter what.



We don't change it because some of us also use IM for work, and it would look unprofessional to say to a co-worker, "I'm not here, because I'm BANGING YOUR MOTHER."

Disco Hyper Superfly 3,290 11
11/13/2002 08:08 PM

Trillian pro rocks! I have the smart butler text to speech thing active on it. SO every IM I get is read to me. It is amusing.

Merkin 10,008 13
11/13/2002 08:10 PM

Ah, Trillian rears its ugly head again.

Barking Pumpkin 762 11
11/13/2002 08:17 PM

The thing I hate about Yahoo IM is that if I put someone on ignore, they can still see me online, but merely blocks their messages.



If I'm intentionally blocking some Emerson, why the hell would I want him to know I'm online?

Callie Mollari 14,455 13
11/14/2002 01:58 AM

I too am guilty of logging on and leaving my Trillian set to "Away". It's more of a brain fart/lazyass thing than a conscious slight.



I do wish also that they'd fix the away message bug.

Daggy 86,684 14
11/14/2002 08:32 AM

I IM on messenger at least once a month!

At least!

Bonky 75,728 15
11/19/2002 04:54 PM

One more thing, you weenie whiney teet bags, perhaps one person turns on IM to speak to an individual, or is engrossed in a conversation, and your "sup niggah?!" mentality doesn't come at the most opportune time.

I'm sick of apologizing to someone who IM's me if I'm busy talking with someone else.



AND YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

Doc 7,105 13
11/19/2002 05:19 PM

I leave Trillian on all day because if someone wants to message me, they can just leave a message, I check my computer periodically. I'm not a big shoot the Shakespeare person. I'd like to talk to someone if they've got something to talk about, but most people just go "hey" and then expect you to initiate and carry on a conversation. If I wanted to initiate and carry on a conversation I'D INITIATE AND CARRY ON A GODDAMNED CONVERSATION WITH YOU.



So now, I generally go online, and immediately put an away message that says "Message me." This eliminates the casual "hey" messengers.

Gonzo 20,522 17
11/19/2002 07:03 PM

I KNOW WHO I AM BUT I AM NOT WHO YOU WERE "YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE"ING. DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE?!

Sexhead, quick on the upmake 12,287 12
11/19/2002 07:07 PM

<action>sees the rubber, sees the glue. Passes out from the fumes.

Bonky 75,728 15
11/19/2002 08:21 PM

I tricked a guy in fourth grade into eating some rubber cement.



His mommy called my mommy and she pretended to be very disappointed in me. It was just that mean old Brian Friesing. He went hunting with his dad and bragged about killing all sorts of furry, fuzzy things.. He deserved it.

Dirk Lately 14,001 13
11/19/2002 08:23 PM

I know you are Sexy, but what am I?

Sexhead, quick on the upmake 12,287 12
11/19/2002 09:11 PM

Well, Dirk, seeing as how I am passed out from the fumes, I suppose that would make me VULNERALE AND UTTERLY HELPLESS TO PREVENT YOU FROM HAVING YOUR WAY WITH ME!

Doc 7,105 13
11/19/2002 09:17 PM

WHY IS EVERYONE USING CAPS??

Bonky 75,728 15
11/19/2002 09:21 PM

Because it makes Nelson feel like a BIG MAN.

Sexhead, quick on the upmake 12,287 12
11/19/2002 09:23 PM

THEY STARTED IT!!!!!!

Barking Pumpkin 762 11
11/19/2002 09:58 PM

has his way with Sexhead's unconscious body



And by "has his way with" I mean, "dresses up like a clown"