Instant messaging etiquette

cornbb

So I was wondering, is it ok to just leave a conversation hanging and just not talk anymore when you're using Google Talk, Skype, AIM etc? As far as the telephone is concerned, its pretty rude to hang up on someone abruptly. But if you're aimlessly chatting online and, say, need to go do some work, is it the done thing to say "ok, I need to go now" and then stay logged in, or can you just piss off?

Before you ask, no, I don't need to post this in PI

Rb

If I've something to do, I'll just say it and excuse myself from the conversation. Online or not, a bit of manners goes a long way.

Crucifix

I'll usually say bye or gotta go, but I don't think just signing out without a word is as rude as hanging up on someone without a word.

Smellyirishman

It depends. If we are actively involved in conversation then I will say "sorry, got to go". However if it's a case of:

"What you think of this?"
"You would be better off looking at this"
"Your right, that is better"

I might not respond and I sure won't come back in 10 minutes to say "Busy now" (If I wanted to though, I would just set my status to busy).


Just like the telephone, it's a different medium, I wouldn't wait an hour for a response over the phone, that's bad etiquette, not so much with IMs.

robinph

On some IM systems I get messages a couple of days after they were originally sent and no one seems to have minded me not responding immediately to then in these cases. Generally only happens when I forgot to log out of one machine and then log into another and the message that I'd ignored in the other session then gets copied across though.

Victor

brb

DilbertPartII

why not shift to a busy mode so if they'd chat you you've an excuse to make the conversation short?;)

tman

I'd pretty much always let them know that I'm gonna be away for a while, and would usually set my online status accordingly...
There are some things that I just wouldn't bother me bollix replying to, though.

Adam

Can't believe Victor got there first, I was reading the thread thinking "three little letters my friend...."

That said, brb is sufficient if you intend to return, and if that is the case I personally use it and get it and have no problem with it. But if you're not coming back its polite to say so.

Yakuza

OMG, my fish is drowning, gotta go...

brianthebard

Lolz at yakuza... what about ttyl, work/food/sex/shopping would generally be acceptable. most conversations will then go on with a "ok" "night" whatever, but it would be acceptable to end in one line....

Black Swan

If you're actively chatting with someone, it would be rude to just sign off without saying goodbye. This holds with just about any type of active communication I should think?

bluto63

I hate it when people just log off and not say anything. I always make sure to say "bubye"

Bateman

I think it's harmless to just log off. Now and again the PC might crash or something anyway, so **** happens, people should be able to deal with it.

Rb

Blue_Lagoon wrote:

If you're actively chatting with someone, it would be rude to just sign off without saying goodbye. This holds with just about any type of active communication I should think?

Aye. Hanging up the phone suddenly mid-conversation would be extremely rude, as would walking away from someone mid-conversation when talking in person, same applies for IM messaging as far as I'm concerned.

Ruu_Old

bluto63 wrote:

I hate it when people just log off and not say anything. I always make sure to say "bubye"

I know! Me waiting over 5 hours thinking she would come back, don't leave me hangin' here. *sigh*:)

dreamerbeliever

If it's an active conversation, say bye or whatever. If it's not, just leave.

Alter-Ego

If the conversation has been dead for 30mins or more, just leave. Before that its usually a "gotta go". Although if the last message revieved was "LOL", 30 seconds of inactivity is enough to warrant an disappearing act.

On the subject of text etiquette, people should also try to type and spell properly. Enough of this "tlk 2 u l8r", "txt spk" crap.

/Rant

Rb

Alter-Ego wrote:

If the conversation has been dead for 30mins or more, just leave. Before that its usually a "gotta go". Although if the last message revieved was "LOL", 30 seconds of inactivity is enough to warrant an disappearing act.

On the subject of text etiquette, people should also try to type and spell properly. Enough of this "tlk 2 u l8r", "txt spk" crap.

/Rant

It saves money. Though I'd never use txtspk online or anywhere outside of a text message, my texts are absolutely riddled with abbreviations. Texts cost €0.13 each, may as well cram as much into one as you can.

azezil

gtg bbl, ttfn

scojones

"Sorry dude, I'm up the walls here. Will get back to ya when things are quiet again."

Stark

Sorry, can't stay chatting. Bitch wants face to face sex tonight.

Red Hand

If talking to someone, then yes, it is rude to hang up without saying that you are going now. However, usually when things like that happen, it's down to gmail being on the blink or something.

thebman

I always say gotta go even if there has been a long period of inactivity. It is just good manners IMO.

You could make the same excuses with a phone call by hanging up and saying you ran out of credit but whats the point? Even if I am out of credit, I usually top up and say or txt that I ran out of credit, talk to you later or something.

I consider really rude if someone doesn't do it.