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Those are good reasons for phoning, yes, but even then you'd be better if you're stuck in text to start off with as much urgent information as possible. "Hi Bob

Those are good reasons for phoning, yes, but even then you'd be better if you're stuck in text to start off with as much urgent information as possible. "Hi Bob, the wobbulator sprocket is on fire and I need to you defusticate the gonksnaffler immediately."

eganist 6y ago
Unless the matter has an ephemerality requirement, in which case I message seeking immediate availability and then transition to a phone call. A signal call if the matter needs to be both ephemeral and confidential. Insisting on asynchronous communication for All The Things™ concerns me in that it shows that a person isn't adaptable to varying criticalities and sensitivities. The same goes for insisting on synchronous communication. TL;DR they both have their place, and they will always both have their place regardless of any one person's preference.
- Arainach 6y ago
  Even in that case, "Are you around for a call?" gets the point across far better than "Hey, are you there?" Most people don't need to deal with ephemeral requirements. I've been in software for over a decade at a variety of businesses, and without fail the only times someone's been worried about talking over discoverable mediums they've been considering something that's anticompetitive or potentially illegal. The vast majority of people I've interacted with don't do things like that, and the few I do I don't want to work with.
  - eganist 6y ago
    > Even in that case, "Are you around for a call?" gets the point across far better than "Hey, are you there?" Can I ask the difference between these two in practical terms? Edit: > the only times someone's been worried about talking over discoverable mediums they've been considering something that's anticompetitive or potentially illegal. Interesting. In my case, it's without fail been circumstances where message control (specifically anti-forwarding) was paramount. I suppose it boils down to differences in our roles.
    - Arainach 6y ago
      "Are you around for a call" tells me that you have something to discuss that you think shouldn't be discussed over IM. In practice, it means something deeply confidential (usually related to HR or legal). "Are you there" means you're an intern or, worse, a full timer who hasn't figured out how to properly communicate yet who has some random question for me that you probably think is urgent but probably isn't.
      - eganist 6y ago
        The former I agree with. The latter I've always interpreted to mean the former. I guess this is where our experiences diverge. I've never encountered what you described with the latter; it's always been someone who followed up with a call.

eganist 6y ago

Unless the matter has an ephemerality requirement, in which case I message seeking immediate availability and then transition to a phone call. A signal call if the matter needs to be both ephemeral and confidential. Insisting on asynchronous communication for All The Things™ concerns me in that it shows that a person isn't adaptable to varying criticalities and sensitivities. The same goes for insisting on synchronous communication. TL;DR they both have their place, and they will always both have their place regardless of any one person's preference.

Arainach 6y ago
Even in that case, "Are you around for a call?" gets the point across far better than "Hey, are you there?" Most people don't need to deal with ephemeral requirements. I've been in software for over a decade at a variety of businesses, and without fail the only times someone's been worried about talking over discoverable mediums they've been considering something that's anticompetitive or potentially illegal. The vast majority of people I've interacted with don't do things like that, and the few I do I don't want to work with.
- eganist 6y ago
  > Even in that case, "Are you around for a call?" gets the point across far better than "Hey, are you there?" Can I ask the difference between these two in practical terms? Edit: > the only times someone's been worried about talking over discoverable mediums they've been considering something that's anticompetitive or potentially illegal. Interesting. In my case, it's without fail been circumstances where message control (specifically anti-forwarding) was paramount. I suppose it boils down to differences in our roles.
  - Arainach 6y ago
    "Are you around for a call" tells me that you have something to discuss that you think shouldn't be discussed over IM. In practice, it means something deeply confidential (usually related to HR or legal). "Are you there" means you're an intern or, worse, a full timer who hasn't figured out how to properly communicate yet who has some random question for me that you probably think is urgent but probably isn't.
    - eganist 6y ago
      The former I agree with. The latter I've always interpreted to mean the former. I guess this is where our experiences diverge. I've never encountered what you described with the latter; it's always been someone who followed up with a call.