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2.6: Instant messaging

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    305531

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    Do you IM? If not, maybe you should. While it is famous as the bastion of teens and pre-teens, this method of communication is also incredibly effective for organizations where lots of folks work in the same building, but not geographically close enough to speak to one another.

    Several times each day, there is a question or comment you would make to someone if that person were standing next to your desk, but it doesn’t quite merit a phone call or an e-mail. (You’re respectful of others and only send e-mail that is important to avoid cluttering your colleagues’ inboxes.) That’s where IM comes in. It’s informal, quick, efficient and actually kind of fun.

    Of course, that also presents problems for employers. Some staffers have found it easy to chit-chat over IM. As a result, some employers have added tracking software to capture IM exchanges on the company servers, meaning you shouldn’t write anything on IM you wouldn’t say in public. A few companies now prohibit its use due to continued abuse, so check with your Information Systems department.

    Still, using IM will also give you additional experience with your new digital life. Used properly, it will add efficiency to your operation. You will also experience the culture of emoticons (the little graphic smileys) and text shortcuts that are now commonplace among younger, tech-savvy users.

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    Mark Briggs’ buddies list.

    To get started, use iChat if you’re on the Mac (it’s already installed) or Trillian for Windows (a free download). Set up an account with AOL or MSN and ask others in your building for their “handles.” (A handle is a nickname that chat software uses for identification; you select your handle during your account setup.) Build a “buddies list” and you’ll now be able to see who’s online whenever you launch your chat program.

    This page titled 2.6: Instant messaging is shared under a CC BY-ND 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Mark Briggs via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.