Oh, those Instant Messenger games we play...

Senusret I · #1 05-23-2004, 08:56 AM

So.....I got turned on to AIM back in 99, soon after I pledged APO. My Big and I were two of the three members on yearbook staff, and AIM kept us going through that HUMID summer we spent on campus.

Now, years later, AIM is a normal part of my life....sometimes I prefer an IM to a phone call.

But today, I want to talk about...."The Waiting Game." You know the one. You're on IM and you notice a friend or acquaintance has logged in. You wait to see how long it takes for them to say "hello" to you. Sometimes it's instantaneous -- whew! Thank God, they were a REAL friend. Sometimes it takes a few moments.

"Oh, they must be checking their email, I'll wait."

And a few more moments....

"Must be a lot of emails."

And more.

"He/she must have stepped away from the computer."

Ten/fifteen minutes go by.

"I mean, gosh, that's so rude. CLEARLY he/she is supposed to say hi first!"

Half an hour.

"I don't like that heffa ANYWAY!"

And then, this morning, I log in to see online a friend in Japan who NEVER IM's me first. And I am just resigned to the fact that he is a rude summamabytch. Sometimes I will say hello, sometimes I won't. But this morning, I said NO....I am not saying hi to him first!

Within seconds:

********: hey. on the phone but wanted to say HEY!

AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH! He messed up the cycle! lol

Holler if you hear me....I know I'm not the only one who thinks about this.

Lady Pi Phi · #2 05-23-2004, 11:27 AM

Oh I do I hear you!!!

I'll say hi to someone who's online and I get nothing. So I'll wait and see if they're busy talking to someone else or checking email. So maybe I'll wait 20 minutes and if there's still nothing I'll leave the computer. Sometimes I'll leave myself online, mostly I'll go to away, but I'll come back 3 hours later and I'll have recieved a message that just arrived 20 minutes ago sayng, "hey what's up?"
Buddy, I don't want to talk to you now!

Or if I put myself on N/A (ICQ) because I've gone to bed for the night. I'll wake up with a message from someone at 4 in the morning saying "hey are you still awake?"
NO! I went to bed. You know I work and have to be up early in the morning so I am not sitting in front of my computer waiting for you to talk to me.

I have more IM pet peeves. But I hear everything you're saying.

swissmiss04 · #3 05-23-2004, 11:37 AM

I am hearin' both of you! My hugest pet peeve is when someone IM's me and I'm, say, switching the laundry or going to the bathroom or something. I come back and reply and I know they're there, yet they say nothing. Bullshit games. IM is gettin' pretty lame.

DeltaBetaBaby · #4 05-23-2004, 12:38 PM

okay, and how about people who don't put up away messages when they are away just because they want to see who will IM them?

AND, when I put up an away message using %n for the buddy's s/n, I have had more than one person think I was singling them out.

AXJules · #5 05-23-2004, 01:58 PM

Ok so if your friends don't say hi when they log on, every time, you get mad??

To me, IM is a great way to stay in touch or say "what's up"...but my pet peeve is the opposite of yours- the people who instantly IM you as soon as they get on. Like, there are 2 people on my buddy list that I can depend on to IM me, without fail, several times a session to tell me random shit I don't care about. You make me feel bad for not having anything new to say since the last time I talked to you 20 minutes ago!

Rudey · #6 05-23-2004, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AXJules
Ok so if your friends don't say hi when they log on, every time, you get mad??

To me, IM is a great way to stay in touch or say "what's up"...but my pet peeve is the opposite of yours- the people who instantly IM you as soon as they get on. Like, there are 2 people on my buddy list that I can depend on to IM me, without fail, several times a session to tell me random shit I don't care about. You make me feel bad for not having anything new to say since the last time I talked to you 20 minutes ago!

You IM'd me to tell me you were upset I hadn't IM'd you to say hi once. I got weirded out since I just got done seeing you at that halfway-house.

-Rudey

snowgal2 · #7 05-23-2004, 10:00 PM

I don't know...I don't tend to get all upset when someone doesn't IM me when they are online. I usually just figure they are up to something that is keeping them busy and they don't feel like talking. It's not an insult, people just get busy. I don't want to get into someone's way if they are researching something for class or if they are in a hurry.

I really only use my IM's to keep in touch with people who have moved, and even then, I probably talk to those people more by phone or email. The people I IM the most are probably the ones I see the most often, but they might message me while they are on a break at work or something, and I chat with them then. It's a good way to get info that might be important or just to see how their day is going.

That person you are waiting for a message from that you get mad at might be thinking the same thing you are. Just drop a "hey, are ya busy?" or something like it and even if they aren't, it won't hurt your feelings if they say they are because you won't know! Don't create drama where there isn't any.

DolphinChicaDDD · #8 05-23-2004, 10:10 PM

Ok, my IM pet peeve is when people spell out their entire day
ie:
8-9am eating breakfast
9-1020am:class
1020-1025: walking to my other class
1030-3pm:work
3pm-5pm:dinner
5-7pm:class
7-?: sorority meetings

Umm, yeah. we are all busy...you don't get any points for proving that you are the greatest busiest person ever. I'm not your mother. I don't need the play by play of your day.

I'm brushing my teeth...Now I'm in the shower...Now I'm eating breakfast...I'm watching TV

You're not doing any of these things. You are compulsively changing your away message every 5 minutes.

snowgal2 · #9 05-23-2004, 10:19 PM

Haha...a 2 hour dinner! Wish I had those!

I've seen people do that...or they describe HOW they are sleeping, like with what or what color sheets...no one cares!

I mostly use MSN...it gives you a variety of away-type messages besides the standard "away," like busy, out to lunch, etc. Keeps things nice and simple. Besides, it has changeable backgrounds now

Way cool.

1savvydiva · #10 05-23-2004, 10:37 PM

Ya'll are funny!

Most times, I don't IM people first unless I have something to say. At my home computer, it automatically signs me on to IM and so sometimes, I don't even remember I'm logged on. I've gotten fussed out because I've walked away from my computer and left it up because I have broadband, so you actually have to disconnect, not just close down the screen.

Sorry!

Glitter650 · #11 05-23-2004, 10:50 PM

Now that I have broadband I've been accidentally leaving AIM on all the time without an away message and I'll have like 10 IMs asking me what the hell I'm doing... I feel bad but stuff happens..although... there's still some courtesy that should go on.
BUT some people get too bent out of shape about stuff for example during my freshman year of college I had a friend who was SOOO ANAL she would expect me to stay home just to talk to her on line if she didn't have anything else to do.. (I went to school in LA.. she went to school at NAU in Flagstaff AZ) She would get mad if I had to go all of a sudden or if a left an e mail saying I had to cancel a chat or something... yeah... just a bit clingy and scary... we are no longer friends...

norcalchick · #12 05-24-2004, 03:10 AM

i hate when people have very depressing away messages but it doesn't say why they're depressed (maybe i'm nosy. lol)

oh and when people block you for no reason. you find out when you sign off your usual sn where they aren't onine, go on your secret sn and you add them to your list and then... they're online for 2 days 5 hours and 21 minutes

(you know you do it too!!!

)

Senusret I · #13 05-24-2004, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by snowgal2
That person you are waiting for a message from that you get mad at might be thinking the same thing you are. Just drop a "hey, are ya busy?" or something like it and even if they aren't, it won't hurt your feelings if they say they are because you won't know! Don't create drama where there isn't any.

No offense, but d'uh, I thought of this.

All I'm saying is that there is a difference between not wanting to talk at that moment......and then waiting for ME to say hi first ALL THE TIME and then talking for like hours! It's just weird...but trust, I know and exercise my appropriate "Are you busy?" protocol.

Senusret I · #14 05-24-2004, 08:19 AM

DeltaBetaBaby, You know, that %n code is dangerous.....a lot of people don't know about it and they do think I'm singling them out, lol.

Dolphin Chica, yeah I know hella undergrads that do that...not only is it annoying, but dang, must everyone know your business?

1savvydiva, you are forgiven. ;-)

Glitter......I always saw AIM as just one of those nice coincidental things. Your friend was a tad scary.

norcalchick....yes, yes I do. But ironically, I am also quick to block somebody, lol.

norcalchick · #15 05-24-2004, 01:04 PM

i like using yahoo except not that many people use it.

pros:
-you can be "invisible" where your still online, but it looks like your not signed on
-there are different busy/away signs (not at my desk, stepped out, etc)
-you can still chat while you have your away messages up. unlike aim where you have to take your away message up and people bug you
-you get alerts when people add you to thier buddy list
-you use webcams on here (not sure if you can use webcams on aim, never tried it)
-you have IMVironments where it can be interactive (you can doodle and play tic tac toe with your buddy

)
-you get IM's when your logged off
-you can save chat convos
-some others but i forget right now

cons:
-not many people on it
-if you want to add someone to your buddylist but don't want them to know, they will know cause it sends them an alert saying you added them (the part i like the least

)