5 ms·

I'm totally ambivalent on this feature because I think it really doesn't matter. If you don't want to be disrupted, turn off notifications (if possible), or log

by dfxm12 13y ago

I'm totally ambivalent on this feature because I think it really doesn't matter. If you don't want to be disrupted, turn off notifications (if possible), or log out. If you are too busy to talk to someone then don't tempt them by showing up as logged on in their contact list. It's win/win. Instant messaging is becoming more and more like email in that it is moving from a synchronous to an asynchronous form of communication. When I IM someone and they don't answer instantly, I assume they are busy. Just like with email. Just like when they don't answer the phone. Just like with voice mail. This is even if their status has a green bubble next to it, because that really means nothing, especially when it is user selected. N.B.: In every enterprise chat program I've used, setting your status as "away" or "busy" does nothing to stop others from contacting you. Microsoft's offerings (OCS/lync) has a "Do Not Disturb" which does this.

Jtsummers 13y ago
Being "away" has never, at least since I started IM'ing in '97 ('98?) meant "the client blocks messages". It's always been a social signal, "I'm probably not here, don't expect a reply". And if people are "tempted" by seeing someone who's idle or away and feels compelled to send them a message, that's their issue, not the issue of the person who's marked as "away". Perhaps, to me, the most annoying thing about this sort of "feature" is that it's a deliberate reduction in capabilities. Every client I use now is perfectly capable of automatically setting my status, and allowing me to set custom status states. Eliminating a feature like this from the users is akin to saying, "It's 2013, you shouldn't be saving your documents. We'll know when you're done because you'll have stopped editing it." EDIT: Examples where custom setting away/present status is very useful to me, my phone and my laptop. My phone is connected to google talk all the time, most of the time it's marked as "away" (particularly during the work day or when I'm at events where the phone isn't appropriate). I mark my status as "available" when I'm actually able to chat, any automatic detection based on idleness would be wrong. It's similar with my laptop at home. It's on the entire time, and since I do my reading and writing at my kitchen table it's also usually within arms reach, playing some music. When I'm doing something that I want to discourage chats (but not prevent), "away" status is perfect. If I really want to prevent chat then I can go "invisible" or close it. Leaving it open versus closing it (in the case of "invisible") gives me the option of watching for other people that I might want to talk to.

by dfxm12 13y ago

Jtsummers 13y ago

Being "away" has never, at least since I started IM'ing in '97 ('98?) meant "the client blocks messages". It's always been a social signal, "I'm probably not here, don't expect a reply". And if people are "tempted" by seeing someone who's idle or away and feels compelled to send them a message, that's their issue, not the issue of the person who's marked as "away". Perhaps, to me, the most annoying thing about this sort of "feature" is that it's a deliberate reduction in capabilities. Every client I use now is perfectly capable of automatically setting my status, and allowing me to set custom status states. Eliminating a feature like this from the users is akin to saying, "It's 2013, you shouldn't be saving your documents. We'll know when you're done because you'll have stopped editing it." EDIT: Examples where custom setting away/present status is very useful to me, my phone and my laptop. My phone is connected to google talk all the time, most of the time it's marked as "away" (particularly during the work day or when I'm at events where the phone isn't appropriate). I mark my status as "available" when I'm actually able to chat, any automatic detection based on idleness would be wrong. It's similar with my laptop at home. It's on the entire time, and since I do my reading and writing at my kitchen table it's also usually within arms reach, playing some music. When I'm doing something that I want to discourage chats (but not prevent), "away" status is perfect. If I really want to prevent chat then I can go "invisible" or close it. Leaving it open versus closing it (in the case of "invisible") gives me the option of watching for other people that I might want to talk to.