IM

[mindstalk]

So, someone gave me her AIM address recently, and I decided to dip into the weird world of IM. Conclusion: it sucks. E-mail: everyone has an address, and you can just mail them. IM: lots of different walled communities. Also, my first two name choices on AIM were taken -- what the hell? Did AOL do some sneaky import, or did someone steal my name?

Found a half-decent muti-protocol client, though, gaim, showing all my LJ friends as "offline" except for a couple who are "Not authorized".

Posting via LJ bot.

Comments

[countrycousin.livejournal.com]

I prefer email or posting. One has time to think in response. One doesn't have to be there when the other person is. I have not enabled any of my IM options.

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

*shrug* Those have there advantages -- Andy Clark defended e-mail a colleague in an adjacent office, on similar grounds of asynchronicity, delay, and leaving a record, but there can be something to something simulating conversation. "It sucks" referred to the technical aspects of getting connected, eventually rectified, though Gaim still has some oddness; AIM Express ended up being more reliable.

-- "qeluxia", until I come up with another name. No, AIM mindstalk isn't me.