Net: Friday Group Therapy: Instant Messaging

Via Midnight Bliss’ entry, I’ve come across the Friday Group Therapy entry about Instant Messaging services, so I thought I’d answer the 7 questions myself:

1. Do you use an Instant Messaging service? (Yahoo!, AOL, MSN, ICQ, etc…) What function does it serve for you?
I use Trillian, although I do have Yahoo Messenger, AIM, MSN and ICQ installed. I’m usually logged into them all 24/7 (thanks to Trillian: but that doesn’t mean I’m at the computer or wanting to chat) – occasionally I also poke my head into various IRC channels as well.
The function? Erm, keep up to date with friends, ‘talk’ with clients, and to be able to consult with people knowledgeable about certain areas “in real time”.

2. Do you use an online service for e-mail? (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc…) What function does it serve for you?
I have a Yahoo Mail and a couple of HotMail accounts (along with actually running a mail server for several domains).
Needless to say, the bulk of my email comes through my dedicated mail server – but I keep my Yahoo Mail address as it’s very easy to access via WAP on my phone (ideal if I’m running late for a meeting or something and I want to dash off a really quick small email) and I keep my HotMail address because a) I’ve had it since before Microsoft brought HotMail, b) I’ve got it set up so that when my friends email me, it sends a nifty little SMS alert to my phone (via MSN Mobile and O2). Ok, I could add a WAP interface to my mail server AND set up a similar “recognised email address message received: forward SMS alert” services for my mail server, but for the amount of time I really spend using them it’s just not an efficient use of my time.

3. Do you accept unsolicited IMs or chat invitations?
Depends on what you call “unsolicited”. I did used to receive a large number of spam IM’s to my ICQ number, but since setting my Privacy settings to ‘Do not accept Multi-Recipient messages from Non-contact’, ‘Do not accept WWPager messages’ and ‘Do not accept EmailExpress messages’ it seems like I’ve hardly had any “spam IMs” to ICQ.
I also do a ‘challenge/response’ type thing to unsolicited messages: basically when I get a message which just says “hi” or similar, I send a brief message back saying “To confirm you are a human and not just a bot (if you are, I’ll report you to the XXX administrators), please tell me what color/colour the sky and sea normally is”. If I don’t get an appropriate message back, I instantly put them on my ‘ignore list’ and report them to the service provider.
I do get the occasional real flesh-and-blood person (I had one a few hours ago on Yahoo) wanting to speak to me, but if I’m in an “away state” I usually ignore them (hey guys – if I’m marked “away”, don’t expect an answer!) sometimes I do natter to them though.

4. Have you ever met someone spontaneously via e-mail or IM who became a long-time friend?
Yep I have, I’ve got a friend from Rhode Island who I met via AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) – technically she met me (as she initiated the conversation) and we’ve been firm good friends for a over a year now.
I also met another friend (who lives reasonably locally) via Yahoo messenger, but I haven’t heard from her for a while now (last thing I heard is that she’s got a boyfriend and is expecting a kid – at one point I did think I could be her boyfriend, but apart from talking briefly on the phone once we’ve only communicated via text message and Yahoo).

5. Have you ever met someone spontaneously via e-mail or IM who became an enemy?
Possibly I think. I know someone started IM’ing me out of the blue once and instantly got quite abusive – but they soon met my “ignore list” so I haven’t heard a peep from them since 🙂

6. How do you handle people like this?
Basically, same as he (Brian Peace) did. As soon as I get an unidentified IM (UIM) I check their profile. If their profile is “lacking information”, then I’m instantly on my guard. If I do get a moron which won’t tell me anything about themselves (they started the conversation – they should lead and volunteer information), just wants to get information from me or won’t take ‘No’ for a hint — then they are soon listed on my ‘Ignore List’.

7. Have you ever known anyone personally who was burned by an online incident?
Well, if you don’t count my ex-lodger (who I met via Udate) who moved in, proceeded to bring several men round and then up-and-left after stealing and abusing my credit card number, not paying rent and leaving a lot of junk – then I don’t think so. Unfortunately looking at etoile‘s blog, I’m not the only one an event like this has happened to (I, in fact, summed it up nicely in a little comment to her blogged: I know I was a mug, but I suppose like you I actually had faith and trust in the human race – things like that really help shatter your trust in people. You try and be a good kind citizen and look what happens….).
I know Robyn and at least 5 other woman have been “cyber-stalked” by Christopher Edward Powers (he’s taken the bulk of his site down, but his wife’s blog is still active) from Pembroke Pines, Florida.
I hate people like this, and unfortunately for his wife, she’s going to get a very nasty shock when she realises exactly how many women (include a girl of 14) he has ‘attacked’ in this manner online and how he just will not take “no” for an answer.