Comments on: My First Rule of GChat http://www.julieminevich.com/my-first-rule-of-gchat/ Sat, 24 Dec 2011 13:15:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Mark Drapeau http://www.julieminevich.com/my-first-rule-of-gchat/comment-page-1/#comment-34282 Mark Drapeau Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:47:56 +0000 http://www.julieminevich.com/?p=1046#comment-34282 I have been invisible on Gchat since October 2008. I have been invisible on Gchat since October 2008.

]]> By: JB http://www.julieminevich.com/my-first-rule-of-gchat/comment-page-1/#comment-34267 JB Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:32:06 +0000 http://www.julieminevich.com/?p=1046#comment-34267 I respectfully disagree with the invisibility thing - I see it as a much truer way of saying you are unavailable, by actually not making yourself seen/available, rather than using the "red dot" feature where people can see you are clearly on gchat, not idle, so using gmail and likely chatting - just not with them. Of course if you message someone while invisible, clearly you are then available and the proper thing to do is re-visibilize. On another note regarding chat etiquette - turning off the idle notification on gchat or IM can also be placed into the "rude" or "poor etiquette" category since you are misrepresenting yourself - people see you as available and willing to talk, while you may actually be in another country/not at instantly available to chat - which is the essence of "instant" messaging. And finally, while I will not put a specific amount of time on how long before responding, the longer the delay (without reason of course), the more controversial the move - again, instant messages, ideally, should be responded to instantly, and of course not responding at all is just downright rude (unless you explain the reasoning behind it at a later time). I respectfully disagree with the invisibility thing – I see it as a much truer way of saying you are unavailable, by actually not making yourself seen/available, rather than using the “red dot” feature where people can see you are clearly on gchat, not idle, so using gmail and likely chatting – just not with them. Of course if you message someone while invisible, clearly you are then available and the proper thing to do is re-visibilize. On another note regarding chat etiquette – turning off the idle notification on gchat or IM can also be placed into the “rude” or “poor etiquette” category since you are misrepresenting yourself – people see you as available and willing to talk, while you may actually be in another country/not at instantly available to chat – which is the essence of “instant” messaging. And finally, while I will not put a specific amount of time on how long before responding, the longer the delay (without reason of course), the more controversial the move – again, instant messages, ideally, should be responded to instantly, and of course not responding at all is just downright rude (unless you explain the reasoning behind it at a later time).

]]> By: Gib Wallis http://www.julieminevich.com/my-first-rule-of-gchat/comment-page-1/#comment-34175 Gib Wallis Sun, 31 May 2009 19:50:12 +0000 http://www.julieminevich.com/?p=1046#comment-34175 I have to disagree with you in part on this one. As Rex mentioned, there are times when it may be useful to see who's online. I appreciate the idea of reciprocity with friendship, but rather than taking immediate offense, I think it's wise to just say, "Oh, hey, it says you're not online. What's up with that?" If it's someone who's generally NEVER availably to you in a rapid manner, but they OFTEN approach you for an immediate answer, it would make sense to me to lower them in priority when they have favors or requests that are timely and you're otherwise busy. Regarding DSaxman's comment, I find GMail a little overwhelming -- I have an account that's mainly for web signups and receipts. I've been using it for other things recently, but I really can't be bothered to learn all of the options. I've started using iChat to login to Google Talk and have turned off Google talk from within GMail -- too distracting and as was mentioned, it can get buried beneath a window I don't check every two minutes. I have to disagree with you in part on this one.

As Rex mentioned, there are times when it may be useful to see who’s online.

I appreciate the idea of reciprocity with friendship, but rather than taking immediate offense, I think it’s wise to just say, “Oh, hey, it says you’re not online. What’s up with that?”

If it’s someone who’s generally NEVER availably to you in a rapid manner, but they OFTEN approach you for an immediate answer, it would make sense to me to lower them in priority when they have favors or requests that are timely and you’re otherwise busy.

Regarding DSaxman’s comment, I find GMail a little overwhelming — I have an account that’s mainly for web signups and receipts. I’ve been using it for other things recently, but I really can’t be bothered to learn all of the options.

I’ve started using iChat to login to Google Talk and have turned off Google talk from within GMail — too distracting and as was mentioned, it can get buried beneath a window I don’t check every two minutes.

]]> By: Rex http://www.julieminevich.com/my-first-rule-of-gchat/comment-page-1/#comment-33478 Rex Thu, 14 May 2009 18:26:49 +0000 http://www.julieminevich.com/?p=1046#comment-33478 I still prefer Yahoo Messenger- firstly because I LOVE the smileys. I've been on it for a decade and no other program has such a large variety of cute smileys that are utterly appropriate to various situations. As for privacy- Gtalk sucks because it's all or nothing. Either everyone sees you online or no one. Yahoo lets you selectively reveal yourself to those you want to talk to and hide from the rest. So as a courtesy, you CAN make yourself visible to whoever you're talking to. Selective invisibility on chat is an important enough feature for me- there are times I don't wannna be disturbed by anyone, yet need to see who's available. As an aside- Google hasn't updated the standalone client in over 3 years, they just go on improving the gmail built in version (because they're in the search business and the browser's more important than a standalone app) I still prefer Yahoo Messenger- firstly because I LOVE the smileys. I’ve been on it for a decade and no other program has such a large variety of cute smileys that are utterly appropriate to various situations.
As for privacy- Gtalk sucks because it’s all or nothing. Either everyone sees you online or no one. Yahoo lets you selectively reveal yourself to those you want to talk to and hide from the rest. So as a courtesy, you CAN make yourself visible to whoever you’re talking to.
Selective invisibility on chat is an important enough feature for me- there are times I don’t wannna be disturbed by anyone, yet need to see who’s available.
As an aside- Google hasn’t updated the standalone client in over 3 years, they just go on improving the gmail built in version (because they’re in the search business and the browser’s more important than a standalone app)

]]> By: dsaxman http://www.julieminevich.com/my-first-rule-of-gchat/comment-page-1/#comment-33184 dsaxman Wed, 13 May 2009 17:47:06 +0000 http://www.julieminevich.com/?p=1046#comment-33184 I agree - and as we were talking about yesterday on a similar topic, being invisible and sending a message to someone you just met (or found in a search) is equally as one-sided and frowned upon. Fortunately with Yahoo and GMail, you can send a message to someone who doesn't appear as online and it will still be delivered - either immediately because they are hidden, or put in a queue/emailed to them for delivery when they log in. Regardless, I think the practice is rude in either scenario. Equally as rude is signing in automatically and then backgrounding the browser with GMail open in it, so you never see messages that people send you. I've set mine to not sign me in automatically since I typically remote into multiple machines at once and would not always remember to sign myself out. I agree – and as we were talking about yesterday on a similar topic, being invisible and sending a message to someone you just met (or found in a search) is equally as one-sided and frowned upon. Fortunately with Yahoo and GMail, you can send a message to someone who doesn’t appear as online and it will still be delivered – either immediately because they are hidden, or put in a queue/emailed to them for delivery when they log in. Regardless, I think the practice is rude in either scenario.

Equally as rude is signing in automatically and then backgrounding the browser with GMail open in it, so you never see messages that people send you. I’ve set mine to not sign me in automatically since I typically remote into multiple machines at once and would not always remember to sign myself out.

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