Comments on: Instant Messenger Reflections http://quiverandquill.com/2008/01/instant-messenger-reflections/ An idea resource for bloggers, media folks and curious people. Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:41:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Valerie http://quiverandquill.com/2008/01/instant-messenger-reflections/#comment-206 Valerie Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:09:17 +0000 http://quiverandquill.com/2008/01/instant-messenger-reflections/#comment-206 I'm constantly struggling with the viability of technology and new ways of conversing, like social networking, as a catalyst for relationships. While I see the allure of social networks and I’ve joined my fair share it’s always a half-hearted attempt. My lack of participation always comes back to the same reason – my friends aren’t there. At least not the friends that I have close “off-line” relationships with. I’ve asked many of these friends if they join social networks, twitter, blog, etc. and I’m always met with the same blank stares. When I explain the technology the reason for not participating is always the same – between careers, family and friendships there’s just no time to add another mode of socialization, let alone maintain it. Because of that I’m inclined to say that the reason your IM days have past is because you and your social network is in a different life phase. I’m constantly struggling with the viability of technology and new ways of conversing, like social networking, as a catalyst for relationships. While I see the allure of social networks and I’ve joined my fair share it’s always a half-hearted attempt. My lack of participation always comes back to the same reason – my friends aren’t there. At least not the friends that I have close “off-line” relationships with. I’ve asked many of these friends if they join social networks, twitter, blog, etc. and I’m always met with the same blank stares. When I explain the technology the reason for not participating is always the same – between careers, family and friendships there’s just no time to add another mode of socialization, let alone maintain it. Because of that I’m inclined to say that the reason your IM days have past is because you and your social network is in a different life phase.

]]> By: Neotronix http://quiverandquill.com/2008/01/instant-messenger-reflections/#comment-201 Neotronix Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:39:59 +0000 http://quiverandquill.com/2008/01/instant-messenger-reflections/#comment-201 I have to agree with you. Around 1998-2001 I often chatted to many people via IM and have to say that it really was much better than these social networking sites. I don't feel networked socially at all with these sites and find it rather disconnected. Any conversation that takes place on them feels clunky and irritating. I think that maybe technology has stepped backwards a bit as the internet grows in popularity and people find it easier to use sites like facebook yet want to chat over IM anyway which someone defeats the point a little of these social networking sites. I spent a lot of my time just chatting to people online, having casual conversation with people from all around the world and I really enjoyed it and still long for those days. I have to agree with you. Around 1998-2001 I often chatted to many people via IM and have to say that it really was much better than these social networking sites. I don’t feel networked socially at all with these sites and find it rather disconnected. Any conversation that takes place on them feels clunky and irritating.

I think that maybe technology has stepped backwards a bit as the internet grows in popularity and people find it easier to use sites like facebook yet want to chat over IM anyway which someone defeats the point a little of these social networking sites. I spent a lot of my time just chatting to people online, having casual conversation with people from all around the world and I really enjoyed it and still long for those days.

]]> By: joequincy http://quiverandquill.com/2008/01/instant-messenger-reflections/#comment-200 joequincy Fri, 01 Feb 2008 10:09:14 +0000 http://quiverandquill.com/2008/01/instant-messenger-reflections/#comment-200 I am currently a college student, and I have to agree that IM (in my life, known as the "high school" days) provided a much more personal connection. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and all the others are no more than email. That isn't to say that they <b>can't</b> make a good platform for communication -- I find the social networking aspects of these sites to be quite amazing -- but rather that they <i>don't</i>. IM provided an opportunity for one-on one dialogue that can't be recreated through email-like systems. It also, to a certain extent, enabled emotion to be communicated with the text, narrowing the gap between IM and phone conversations. I'm starting to ramble, so I'll stop now... but I do agree with your point. Who knows, if Skype makes a client that isn't such a bandwidth hog, they may entirely dominate the market, and bring IM back to the forefront of social communication online. Until then though, I'll just have to stick with methods that aren't banned by most school networks. I am currently a college student, and I have to agree that IM (in my life, known as the “high school” days) provided a much more personal connection. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and all the others are no more than email. That isn’t to say that they can’t make a good platform for communication — I find the social networking aspects of these sites to be quite amazing — but rather that they don’t.

IM provided an opportunity for one-on one dialogue that can’t be recreated through email-like systems. It also, to a certain extent, enabled emotion to be communicated with the text, narrowing the gap between IM and phone conversations.

I’m starting to ramble, so I’ll stop now… but I do agree with your point. Who knows, if Skype makes a client that isn’t such a bandwidth hog, they may entirely dominate the market, and bring IM back to the forefront of social communication online. Until then though, I’ll just have to stick with methods that aren’t banned by most school networks.

]]> By: Carolina http://quiverandquill.com/2008/01/instant-messenger-reflections/#comment-198 Carolina Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:51:25 +0000 http://quiverandquill.com/2008/01/instant-messenger-reflections/#comment-198 I wonder is this new bit of code might help make (at least one of) these new technologies a bit more personal, focussed and manageable: http://mashable.com/2008/01/28/twitter-public-timeline-prologue/ Mashable! just wrote about this code that allows you to follow a small group of twitter users and publishes the public timeline of their tweets in a separate domain. I wonder is this new bit of code might help make (at least one of) these new technologies a bit more personal, focussed and manageable:

http://mashable.com/2008/01/28/twitter-public-timeline-prologue/

Mashable! just wrote about this code that allows you to follow a small group of twitter users and publishes the public timeline of their tweets in a separate domain.

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