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View Full Version : Why does anyone use Instant messengers?



Thoughtbot360
2009-07-12, 07:10 PM
Why does anyone use Instant messengers? (yes, I am behind the times.)

I mean, I know, its up there with Cell phones, chatrooms, text messaging, heck, message boards with PM options with all the ways the digital age has allowed us even greater ability to stay in touch with each other, but my experience is that IMs have the most potential to be disruptive. Whenever I am talked into getting an IM program, it follows what I like to call, the Instant Messenger cycle of shame.

1-I get the IM at the behest of somebody.
2-I put up with some inane conversations interrupting some activities that require concentration to enjoy/accomplish.
3-I get annoyed with the IM windows popping up as soon as I log on the computer. I obtain a desire to strangulate the other person (optional) strangulation urge obtained after he starts talking about all the bad jokes in this silly RPG parody he's playing, and momentarily seems to acquiesce to my pleas to let me read Shinji & Warhammer 40k (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanFic/ShinjiAndWarhammer40K?from=Main.ShinjiAndWarhammer 40K) only to come back a full five minutes later to post "Lol. I'm fighting a Half-Canadian Ur-Paladin" and generally doing a good job of simulating what life would be like if the General chat from The Barrens (http://www.wowwiki.com/Barrens_chat) and/or Goldshire (http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=1742) could follow you after you logged out of World of Warcraft. .
4-I finally search for/recall a way to stop the IM from opening upon login, and I promply use it, promising myself to occassionally log in manually to stay in touch with my Barrens Noob-er, I mean friend.
5-After failing to keep that promise for a few months, I end up deleting the disused IM program.

But enough about me: How're IMs for you?

RabbitHoleLost
2009-07-12, 07:16 PM
I get the irritation sometimes, but mostly I let people IM me that I want to actually talk to.
Imagine that, not thinking of your friends as nuisances.

loopy
2009-07-12, 07:18 PM
I generally enjoy talking to the people on my msn list, and rectify the "Windows opening when I log on" by never signing off. :smallwink:

Vaynor
2009-07-12, 07:22 PM
If there are people that I don't want to talk to IMing me... I block them. Problem solved.

Neko Toast
2009-07-12, 07:54 PM
I mainly use it when I'm at home and want to talk to my college friends, and vice versa. Sometimes a conversation can go on quite long, but for the most part it's just to ask a question/banter for a few minutes. It's not a big deal, really.

Coidzor
2009-07-12, 08:07 PM
Eh, sometimes is nice to keep in touch with it. Othertimes, meh. Depends on if you have anyone you want to talk to and that wants to talk to you.

Innis Cabal
2009-07-12, 08:10 PM
If there are people that I don't want to talk to IMing me... I block them. Problem solved.


I get the irritation sometimes, but mostly I let people IM me that I want to actually talk to.
Imagine that, not thinking of your friends as nuisances.

These. Really thats all there is to it. Block the people you don't want to talk to, and talk to the people you enjoy. Not to hard.

I have almost no friends in my state, all living outside of my timezone almost, so its nice to have a way to talk to them without costing me a fortune

valadil
2009-07-12, 08:15 PM
I used it more in college. I like IM because you can easily see if a whole group of people is available without actually letting them know that you're checking. I like having transcripts of IM chats stay on my computer for posterity sake. I like that it's free. I like that it's quicker than email.

I agree that having windows pop up all of a sudden sucks. There are a couple things you can do about that.

Use a tabbed IM client. I like pidgin. It puts all your chats in one tabbed window. Pidgin connects to aim, msn, and a variety of others. If you have several accounts, a client like pidgin will let you log into all of them at once without extra clutter.

Go away. By which I mean set your away/availability status to away. This will queue up all your incoming messages so you can reply to them at your leisure instead of getting a popup in your face.

Dragonrider
2009-07-12, 08:15 PM
I like it because all my friends live far away and I'm too lazy to use the telephone.

Plus it's nice overseas.

I might not be on MSN very often (or...even...hardly ever?) but when I am always feel good at the human interaction. Yay for it. Also, despite its problems, I love Facebook chat.

Guru
2009-07-12, 08:17 PM
IM's are probably my main method of conversation. I don't usually call people, because people in my house are always listening, I don't have texting, and for PM's go on too long for what I usually talk about in IM's. I'm usually always on my computer anyways, and from AIM I can send SMS's to people that do have texting and talk to them that way.

toasty
2009-07-12, 08:22 PM
I use Google Talk because... if it wasnt for Google Talk I wouldn't have gotten my homework done a few weeks. No seriously, I chatted to my bud in Korea and we did my Visual Basic via Email and Google Talk.

Then I did this again with one of my friends who is in the US. I felt bad for keeping him up till like 2AM but he didn't seem to mind. :smallbiggrin:

Also, my friend in College in the US uses it to annoy me while I'm doing school sometimes. I enjoy this. :smalltongue:

oryx
2009-07-12, 08:43 PM
I love IM, although I haven't bothered installing much on my new PC cause I just use Steam/Skype, but after moving countries IM is a brilliant way to keep in contact with everyone back home.

And I second what a lot of people have said - people you don't wanna talk to? Block 'em! Or a lot of programs let you set your status to busy or offline mode :smalltongue:

FdL
2009-07-12, 08:47 PM
It's good, I'm the most antisocial person in the universe and I like it when people IM me.

If I feel like not taking messages, my status reflects it, or I don't go at all online. Simple as that.

It's great to be able to be in touch with people with IM.

Recaiden
2009-07-12, 08:49 PM
I like it because all my friends live far away and I'm too lazy to use the telephone.

Plus it's nice overseas.

I might not be on MSN very often (or...even...hardly ever?) but when I am always feel good at the human interaction. Yay for it. Also, despite its problems, I love Facebook chat.

This is mainly why I use it. Although it's mainly built-in chat things. Because a lot of my friends and acquaintances live a long way away. And phones are long distance or change often.

Haruki-kun
2009-07-12, 08:51 PM
When doing schoolwork, MSN becomes a huge network of people who are all doing the same assignment, and having a tool that allows me to comunicate with them, whether they're team-mates or not, makes the entire assignment easier.

To begin with, it's no longer necessary to get together to work.

thubby
2009-07-12, 09:50 PM
it's like a more casual phone call. long silences are no problem, and answers come whenever either party has the time/inclination to respond.

FdL
2009-07-12, 09:59 PM
it's like a more casual phone call. long silences are no problem, and answers come whenever either party has the time/inclination to respond.

This I find a bit annoying, but it's inherent to the medium, it's something you have to deal with.

Trog
2009-07-12, 10:00 PM
I would go through withdrawal if I didn't have my regular chat room to hang out and banter in. :smallbiggrin:

I have had a person or two I have blocked for various reasons but they are certainly in the minority. I can sometimes get irritated by Facebook IMs but not because I don't want to talk to the person but because I often have it up in a tab and rarely have the tab up in my browser so I will miss messages. I think there is a way I can get my IM client to link to my FB though. If I can do that that would eliminate that problem.

Jack Squat
2009-07-12, 10:02 PM
My girlfriend hates talking on the phone, and it's not exactly my favorite pass time either, so I mostly use AIM for our nightly conversations. I've got plenty of other people on my AIM, but they're not constantly talking to me. It may help that I rarely log on before 22:00 :smalltongue:.

On Facebook Chat, I have everyone divided up into groups; my "block group" my "always ready to chat" group, a "school" group and an "other" group. Depending on who I feel like talking to, I sign on to the various groups. Most of the time though I don't use that one, as it's really buggy.

For me, I'm perfectly fine with using instant messengers the same way I use my cell phone. There's no guarantee that I'm always reachable there, and if I don't want to talk to you, I'm not picking up. Leave a message and I'll get back to you whenever I feel like it.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll
2009-07-12, 10:07 PM
My friends generally aren't chatty. We're all on IM just in case somebody needs to ask a question or something. I also chat with people from GitP there, of course!

Vizen
2009-07-12, 10:34 PM
I'm almost always on MSN myself. I don't tend to block people. Heck, the people who really annoy me I tend to just bore them into silence so theres no real need to block them (and, as such, if they find out, offend them).

A lot of my friends use MSN, and its a great way for me to stay in contact with them, particulary since I no longer live near them, and can't drive out to visit them.

Terumitsu
2009-07-12, 11:20 PM
Well, as a long-time RPer of the site, I have to say it's nice to meet the people behind the characters.... That and it doesn't make Giant suffer from the sheer mass of banter-ish posts.... Though, I only use a single chat program that I set to manual open so I don't find it annoying unless a particular person becomes exorbitantly ornery... Which is rare.

Besides, What isn't cool about talking to people from around the world at the speed of the internet (On a good day)? Aside from loosing sleep at times, it's awesome.

FdL
2009-07-12, 11:29 PM
FB chat is kinda annoying...For one, I'm never aware of it.
Then the chat log window is tiny and awkward (no good to undock it, it's still weird on getting focus).
And last but not least, the message sound is weird and annoying, that click noise.

Hannes
2009-07-13, 02:18 AM
Me, I use MSN mainly as an information service. You know, when you realize that you can't remember what day that event was on and you'd call people, but they're not picking up but seem active on MSN so you talk to them and they respond. I don't banter much on MSN, probably because I've given the impression to people that, no, I don't want to talk to you on MSN now, later or ever.

But that's just me. Other people are willing to chat with me if I start it. But as far as annoying pop-ups go, set your status to busy/away. Or just change your settings so that it doesn't pop up (I think that's possible, at least.).

Vella_Malachite
2009-07-13, 06:46 AM
Personally, I tend to use Skype - because I have a very good friend interstate who also uses it.

It's a rare night when we're not chatting all hours.

The thing I like about Skype is that if you don't want to talk to people, just set your thingo to "Not Available" - I can still see my friend and she knows it means I'm online and OK to talk, but then ignore everyone else who tries to talk to you, and they get the message that you're really "Not Available". :smallamused:

Jimp
2009-07-13, 07:36 AM
I like talking to people over IM. Seems like they don't enjoy talking to me over IM though :smalleek:

Avilan the Grey
2009-07-13, 07:41 AM
Because it is damn much cheaper than to use a phone to call to the US from Sweden.
Of course nowadays we use Skype instead, but the idea is the same. And we still use them to leave messages if the person at the other end is not aviable on Skype at the moment.


...And you don't have to talk to someone if they take up too much of your time.

Agamid
2009-07-13, 08:29 AM
i don't. it annoys me know end.
every time i log onto adium i get at least a dozen people trying to add me who i don't know, people who either never speak to me or ask me if i want to cyber.
On facebook chat i always manage to be on when my friends are very drunk and online.
You can't pick tone of voice, which can leave you wondering whether you were just involved in a joke or insulted and if you don't have the exact same version of chat programme as the person you are chatting with then you end up with error symbols every time you post an emoticon.
Plus, no one i don't talk to in person, on the phone or on skype i really want to IM with (please don't take offense by that playgrounders).

Mauve Shirt
2009-07-13, 08:46 AM
I'm always invisible when I'm on instant messenger, so no one IMs me without me IMing them first. And if they do I can just ignore them.

Avilan the Grey
2009-07-13, 08:47 AM
i don't. it annoys me know end.
every time i log onto adium i get at least a dozen people trying to add me who i don't know, people who either never speak to me or ask me if i want to cyber.

...There are Settings. Or Preferences, or Options, depending on program.
Basically:
1) Set it to automatically deny anyone that you don't have on your contact list already.
2) Set it to start with you invisible to everyone and then only show your online status to people who you want to let know you are online.

Mordokai
2009-07-13, 08:52 AM
Because most of my contacts are from overseas or at the very least in another state on the same continent. Now, even providing I'd be willing to pay the outrageous amount of money for telephone bills(which I'm not), there's still a matter of time zones. The guys and gals in USA are somewhat six, seven hours behind me and I can never be bothered to check what time it really is there. Too lazy, you know. If I see them on IM it's pretty safe assumption that they are willing to chat to whoever wants to chat with them. Or in the very least won't be bothered by it too much. If I'd be using the phone I'm never sure that I won't throw them out of bed at 0421 AM. IM offers me a nice way out of this problem.

Plus, if I really don't want to talk to anybody, I simply don't log on. It's as simple as that. And if I am logged on and don't want to talk to them, I make sure to tell them so. If they are grown up they will understand.

As for pop-ups... like it was mentioned, get another application that doesn't have that problem. Personally, I'm fond of Trillian. Really neat little program that allows you to have your contacts from AIM, MSN, ICQ and Yahoo Messenger in one application. As an added bonus, they are tabed, meaning no more annoying pop-ups.

pflare
2009-07-13, 01:52 PM
I like IMing because I can do it while I'm also doing other stuff on the computer. Like if I'm emailing or just checking sites. However, when I use it most is when I'm doing work on the computer. I have to write a butt-load of essays for my degree so I am always IMing while writing them. Is it productive? Absolutely not. But its a lot of fun. :smallsmile:

FdL
2009-07-13, 03:21 PM
Plus, no one i don't talk to in person, on the phone or on skype i really want to IM with (please don't take offense by that playgrounders).

This saddens me. I was thinking about asking you to chat on IM v.v

Alarra
2009-07-13, 10:33 PM
I use im programs because I don't really care for talking on the phone, so it gives me a way to keep in touch with people that don't live near me. I do not like that msn chats just automatically join you into them when you're invited. I like having the option to opt out. Granted, the msn chats have been less frequent lately, but there was a point where it was just obnoxious. I also will block or just ignore people if I don't want to talk to them.

B-Man
2009-07-14, 01:52 PM
Instant messaging is a really handy tool. First off, it helps save some cash when I'm in a bind and I'm feeling particularly talkative (doesn't happen often, but it's nice to have that alternative). Second of all, as mentioned previously, you have the ability to talk to more than one person at a time or in a chat room. Third of all: Trillian Astra! I love Trilly as a multiple IM program but its latest incarnation supports (at least experimentally) Facebook chat! No more having to keep a Facebook tab open and miss messages!

TRM
2009-07-14, 09:43 PM
FB chat is kinda annoying...For one, I'm never aware of it.
Then the chat log window is tiny and awkward (no good to undock it, it's still weird on getting focus).
And last but not least, the message sound is weird and annoying, that click noise.
You should be able to turn the sound off...

I mostly like the Facebook chat because it has all of my friends already there. I IM when I want to either a lot of people at once, or with someone who isn't worth calling; it's also nice because I have a habit of speaking very softly, which makes phone conversations difficult.


...And you don't have to talk to someone if they take up too much of your time.
And this too. You may have meant something different than what I took from it, but I find it difficult to have only a 5 minute phone chat, so when I'm talking to a good friend on the phone we can't stop. But on a chat I can drop in and banter for a few minutes before getting back to whatever I should be doing.

Dispozition
2009-07-15, 04:33 AM
I always turn the sounds on any IM off since I'm nearly always listening to music. MSN doesn't interrupt fullscreen programs so it never annoys me, and AIM only does when you don't set it to away, so it's your fault if it closes the program.

I love IM programs, so handy :D

gilgath
2009-07-18, 10:28 AM
I enjoy pm'ing as much as anyone else, but overall I tend to find instant messenger better cus you can see the entire conversation

Player_Zero
2009-07-18, 10:47 AM
It's good, I'm the most antisocial person in the universe and I like it when people IM me.

Here is a short storyboard of my reaction.

First, an illustration of the general idea.


http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5538/eatyourpea.gif

Second, the sentiment held.


http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/6935/1238820219055.jpg

Next comes an accurate visual representation of my visage upon reaction.


http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/6038/nhk161.jpg

In conclusion.


http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/2028/1234638480739.jpg

This has been my reaction storyboard.

Neko Toast
2009-07-18, 10:55 AM
Here is a short storyboard of my reaction.

First, an illustration of the general idea.


http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5538/eatyourpea.gif

Second, the sentiment held.


http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/6935/1238820219055.jpg

Next comes an accurate visual representation of my visage upon reaction.


http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/6038/nhk161.jpg

In conclusion.


http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/2028/1234638480739.jpg

This has been my reaction storyboard.

...

Is it sad that I know what episode the animated gif comes from?

Player_Zero
2009-07-18, 10:59 AM
...

Is it sad that I know what episode the animated gif comes from?

Eat your pea, professor.

Neko Toast
2009-07-18, 11:09 AM
Eat your pea, professor.

Who wants dessert? :D

I should probably stop before this gets any more off topic.