I'm not IMing

I've used IMs for years... back to the dark ages when cell phones didn't exist and long distance was expensive. You could log on to AOL and have an essentially free real time conversation with distant friends. It was great at the time...but always left one wishing one could pick up the phone and have a real conversation.

Over the years I've used it less and less. It does have its uses--people chained to their desks in cubes can talk to one person while popping of a quick IM for supplemental information to another...librarians at the ref desk can ask for backup without interrupting their current patron interaction.

On the whole I think it detracts more than it adds in value. The problem today isn't connecting to people--it's not connecting to people. Solid block of uninterupted time are at a premium. And of course the faster a person can connect to you the faster they expect a response-- it's almost like the speed of the communication rather than the value of the information included dictates its priority.