January 11, 2001
Entries
Current Entry
Previous Entry
Next Entry
Archives
Links
Personal Sites
and Forums/Boards
Diaryland
The Hunger Site
Communication
Write to me
Instant Messages
People, I'm going to do another public service announcement. This one is about instant messages. I don't know how all the various versions of instant messaging work in terms of blocking yourself from being visible on someone's screen, so this is written in terms of AOL and AIM; please adapt to your service provider.
If you sometimes do instant messages from work or some other place where it might be at times inappropriate for you to receive messages, you might have adopted the habit of hiding your presence from all. Change that now, to a system where before you send an IM, you allow yourself to be seen only by the person/s with whom you plan to chat. Even if you've gotten away with it earlier with your friends, and they haven't told you it's like having uninvited company show up.
Failure to observe this rule is grounds for having your message ignored, and/or your screen name blocked from sending messages to the account of the dropped-in-upon. You have been warned.
If you are sending a first-time instant message to someone, make sure the person knows who you are. This is in addition to making sure you do not have yourself blocked from that person's view, of course, should they choose add you to a buddy list.
Failure to observe this rule is grounds for your being ignored and blocked, as above. You have been warned.
Do not pick on someone about making a typo in instant messages. It is a rule that this is one of the few situations on earth where typos are permitted without comment from the reader. The exception to this is if the typo truly causes the meaning to be lost, in which case you're permitted to respond by asking the writer to clarify the point.
Failure to observe this rule is grounds for your being told to get over it and/or blocked. You have been warned.
If you are a little shy about sending instant messages, you can always send the person an e-mail instead. Informing said person of your shyness is allowed (and welcomed).
Failure to observe this rule is grounds for your being lonely.
If you are unable to chat with someone at the moment, just say so. Do not ignore the message without grounds (see above for approved grounds for ignoring).
Failure to observe this rule is grounds for your being considered rude. You have been warned.
Do not leave an instant message session without saying goodbye.
Failure to observe this rule is grounds for your being considered rude. You have been warned.
Corresponding to the two immediately prior: if you have sent an instant message that is ignored, or if someone has left the computer seemingly without saying goodbye, you are obligated to remember that technology sometimes does not work, therefore the intended recipient may not have received the message, or may have been knocked offline. You are advised to give the recipient at least one more chance at an entirely different time, or to send e-mail to the intended recipient instead.
Failure to observe this rule is grounds for your being accused of rushing to unfair judgment. You have been warned.
If you are in a situation in which you really don't want to chat with anyone, just block the world.
Failure to observe this rule is grounds for your being interrupted by anyone who knows your screen name.
I'm pleased to tell you that Patrick is feeling well enough to be updating again.