Thing #7 - Using IM's ... and (GRR!!) texting ...

Well, Thing #7 on the "18 Things" list has to do with IM'ing, text messaging, etc.

Some of the things in this section ... particularly text messaging ... have an air of "Oh, DON'T get me started!!" wrapped around them for me. In my humble opinion, text messaging, by its nature, can potentially be a useful tool. It has been, however, and it continues to be, used and abused in the most absurd and ridiculous ways. Of all technological advancements that have been made in computing, I find it to be the most preposterous thing to have proliferated modern "culture". And I use that term loosely. The people who I see at restaurants, in movie theatres, in concert halls, in classrooms (by both students AND teachers!) and on the road who seem to be the most proficient at using this service don't bring the term "cultured" to my mind ... other words, maybe ... but NOT "cultured".

E-mailing and IM'ing are, of course, quite useful both socially and practically. But with both techologies you needed, until recently anyway, to be near a computer to use them. The current trend of Blueberries or Raspberries, and EyePhones, etc. leaving people constantly chained by unseen electronic links back to their little digital world - a world where they can be rude, obnoxious and underwhelmed by the simpletons who populate the 'real world' - had not come into existence by the time e-mailing had become a household term. And text messaging is not simply an 'extension' of these early tools. In most instances it is used as a Frankenstein-like, mutated, overgrowth of them.

Some studies have indicated that as few as .2% ... that's not 2%, it's .2% ... of all text SESSIONS ... not messages, but SESSIONS (which indicate multiple 'expressions' typed over a short period of time) are exchanges of practical information between users. A recent study by the AAA discovered that an alarming 46% of teens admitted to being distracted behind the wheel due to texting. THAT is frightening.

And yes ... I'm sure the percentage of extraneous (read: non-informative) telephone calls made every day are even higher. I make them ... we all make them. But there is a social aspect to a telephone call. Much of it having to do with appreciating and understanding the nuances and qualities of a person's voice, both of which allow for better understanding during communication. In many ways it is the most personal form of communication next to a face-to-face conversation. And, of course, up until a few years ago you couldn't make non-informative phones calls to another person while I was trying to enjoy a movie that I paid $12.50 to go see!!! Arrrrgh. Making matters worse, I recently sat in front of two girls in their twenties who had gone to see Bruce Springsteen with their boyfriends who were texting EACH OTHER during the show. And their idiot boyfriends almost came to fisticuffs with the guy behind them who had finally had enough and and asked them to stop (not very politely ... but could you blame him?) about half way through the show because their phone screens were more than a mild distraction.

And don't tell me that texting is improving kids' writing skills. I'm sorry, but "IMHO I LMAO @" that idea.

OK ... rant over. Young people can let their friends know where to meet them at the mall or the movie theatre, parents can contact their kids without making that embarrasing phone calls to friends' houses that every kid dreads when growing up, travelers can alert their families when planes will be delayed and yes ... libraries can notify users about upcoming events or when an interloan has arrived. These are important and useful ways to employ the new technology.

ONE IMPORTANT AND POTENTIALLY USEFUL POINT

AOL Instant Messenger is a pervasive RAM hog, and a nasty program. If you frequently IM, and if you use multiple services, might I recommend Cerulean Studios free Trillian program. It is an excellent IM consolidator, which takes up very little space. When installing it you should just be careful not to check "YES" when it asks you if it can place the toolbar in your browser or change your home page. It should only ask once, and then it will leave you alone. It's a nice little trouble-free program.