Another Annoyance Of Life: The "Messenger" Systems
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
July 16, 2007 3:29am CST
Okay so far I've complained about the annoyance of the phone...disturbing ones peace of mind when you're trying to work...and the answering machine....and now ladies and gentlemen I present another annoyance of life....the messenger systems on computers.
Yes, it's nice to have this convenience to know that one of your friends is on-line at that very moment and you can "talk" to them almost instantaneously even if they are literally around the world from you...BUT..here comes the same problems of the phone if you're honestly trying to get some work done at a computer. I've since completely switched off my Yahoo messenger...If I'm in the middle of scanning photos, or trying to write up documents or letters of some kind, I don't want that little annoying reminder of someone I know is on-line the same time I am....just cause I'm on-line doesn't mean I'm available.
And then, not once, not twice but many more times I'd get some "alert" that someone wanted me to add them to their list of contact friends...now I don't mind if it's someone I know or recognize, but all too often it'd be someone I hadn't a clue who they were--I'd deny them and ask to do an e-mail to me, saying I'll accept your request to add on my list if you could please identify who the heck you are. The replies would be..."Oh, your name came up on a list and thought I'd add you" or and this is especially if it's someone of the opposite gender.."Oh, I notice you're in (fill in blank of town) and I'm here in (fill in blank)--we're practically neighbors." Oh, gee, that's nice, but who the heck are you?
Do you get this crap? Do you get annoyed at the whole messenger system? Like I said it's nice to know one of my friends is on-line but does that mean I have to interrupt my work on-line?
What are your feelings about the messenger systems anyway?? Do you like it? Or are you getting to be like me and just turn the system off completely? Am I the only one griping about this?
14 people like this
23 responses
@texasclassygal (5305)
• United States
16 Jul 07
OMG, I HATE these ... it happens more to me I think than anyone, especially given the screen name I have. When I first got with my boyfriend he would get on my computer, it would always happen, some guy, from who knows where, would come online and say that I was on their messenger list (which is crazy, such a sad line) and they wanted to add me, I was forever getting in trouble for men send messages that I never knew, he now understands and trusts me, but geez those first months or so, it would really piss me off.
3 people like this
@texasclassygal (5305)
• United States
16 Jul 07
It's disgusting, many times when they have sent me messages my boyfriend would be on my computer and they would say that I was on their messenger list and there you go, you are pulled into their little lieing games, he finally believes me that I don't know them, but took awhile.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Jul 07
I had one very persistent jerk who, even though my messenger was on invisible mode would still "buzz" me...yeesh--ignored it of course, he finally got the hint I wasn't interested
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Jul 07
Just how do these guys get our messenger address anyway...and I would zap over to their messenger profiles and have a laugh...lets put it this way, these guys were young enough to be my sons--LOL--maybe they like older women...hehee
2 people like this
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
16 Jul 07
I love having them but I rarely even sign on. It seems that no one I know is online when I'm online so I don't even bother.
I think I've got mine set up with privacy features or something because I don't ever get the off the wall requests like you get. I'm not really sure why. Or maybe it's because I'm never signed on. ??
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Jul 07
Well right now I have my messenger thing turned off..and it's so nice and quiet not getting that "ping" every time someone is on-line or I get mail--if I want to know I got mail, gee, all I have to do is check my emails
2 people like this
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
16 Jul 07
LOL - glad it's nice and quiet for you :)
I never have my volume turned up on my computer so the sound doesn't bother me LOL.
1 person likes this
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
16 Jul 07
I have my messenger set permanently to *appear offline* when I sign in. At least I can chose to chat with people without the annoyance of the alert bugging me. When I am busy the last thing i want is that darmed alert going off all the time
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Jul 07
I have mine on offline as well...but as I mentioned elsewhere, for awhile I had one annoying jerk whom I didn't know from adam constantly "buzzing' me that he wanted to chat...ignored it each time...finally got the hint I wasn't interested
1 person likes this
@66jerseygirl (3877)
• United States
16 Jul 07
I never had much of a problem with msn messenger except for the fact that i can no longer access it but I always had a problem with yahoo.I had yahoo years ago then i deleted it and tried it again last year and i ended up deleting that.i would hear that annoying knock at the most inopportune times. When i wasn't doing anything but surfing the net,no one would come on but as soon as i started doing something like trying to pay a bill,play a game or do my photos,next thing ya know ,I hear that knocking.I also had a problem with unknown people trying to add me to their messenger. I tried to be nice once and the person started talking dirty so I deleted him real fast.
@66jerseygirl (3877)
• United States
16 Jul 07
that me a real lesson.never try to be nice like that.I had such a big problem with yahoo.sometimes with msn but not very often
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Jul 07
Yeesh--it's bad enough if one gets obscene phone calls, but yikes obscene messages?
2 people like this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
16 Jul 07
i HATE those things and i won't use them.
i never got a moment's peace when i was on AOL,if it wasn't my friends doing it,it was some random perv.
i had some guy keep trying to im me,then next thing i know,his WIFE was im'ing me,asking me who i am!
i was like "WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE!?"
blocked them both,i'd never seen such craziness.
3 people like this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
17 Jul 07
um..the last version i had was 6.0,at that time they did..but i used to go in and replace the .wav file,then i didn't have to hear it LOL
i think i had a "meow" or something like that instead.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Jul 07
Since I've never had AOL--do they still have that "You got mail" announcement...that would annoy me no end to hear that all the time---
3 people like this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
16 Jul 07
The messenger is just like the phone and just as annoying. I turn my off most of the time. Actually, the only time I turn it on is if I see that someone I really want to talk to is online. Even then, I don't bug that person. he is the only one i talk to on IM and so when it is on, he knows I'm available if he wants to talk.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Jul 07
I think the whole thing is just having respect for people's privacy especially if one is busy working at the computer
1 person likes this
@maddog108 (3435)
• Australia
16 Jul 07
i like it.i only turn it on when i want to chat so it works out good for me.and as for the phone well i only answer it if i want to talk to some body.if im down or busy the answering machine talks to the so i dont have to.hey they dont know if your home or not so if its important i can hear the message and ring them back if its not well bad luck im not home
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Jul 07
I've decided to switch off my messenger system most times...just found it a darn nuisance! LOL
1 person likes this
@brendalee (6082)
• United States
16 Jul 07
I have a friend who gets so mad at me because I never turn my yahoo messanger on anymore. When I work on the computer I usually have at least 5 windows open. It screws everything up if that messanger window pops on. Having people sending me messages all the time drives me nuts. My boyfriends sister gets upset if I don't keep talking to her but I am busy and she doesn't understand that. So i just never turn the thing on anymore. I am with you on this one.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Jul 07
Good I'm glad I'm not alone in this...What's even worse..LOL--my one friend and I both have MACs...they have their own messenger system as well...now Macs computers also have their web camera system--you don't need to buy a separate one, it's built in---she must be wondering how come I haven't been busting to not only instant messenger via the mac system but have the video capability as well--like wow it's bad enough with a messenger system, but to have a person see me all the time as well? Yikes
2 people like this
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
17 Jul 07
Well I love my instant messengers but I make sure that I have them set so that I'm not bugged especially by people I don't know. I make sure to not place it on forums although many have the spot for it there. I have like yahoo not show when I'm on line in groups, things like that. I also have a tendency to run invisible, those who know me know to try IMing me, I'm usually here. I have them going all the time. Yep I have yahoo, aim and msn. I don't really like having yahoo but too many of my friends use it and msn is supposed to work with it but they haven't gotten all the bugs out of it yet.
With the noises they make, and I admit those can be annoying, I have them shut off, which is an option under preferences. Also I never have my speakers on unless I have to turn them on for something. So those don't bug me at all.
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
18 Jul 07
See I would have just put him on the block list. That way they cannot bug me again ever. Makes it much easier to me :)
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Jul 07
Well I noticed that even with the messenger turned off I was getting this insistent "buzzing" from some guy that wanted to add me to his list of friends--I didn't know who the heck this guy was...finally after ignoring him each time I guess he got the hint not to try me again...
1 person likes this
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
16 Jul 07
Well when I first got Messenger I thought it was amazing, and so good to be able to talk in "real time" with people on the other side of the world. However, like you, now I tend to get frustrtaed with it when people pop up and appear when you least expect them, and you feel "rude" ignoring them! Call me rude and selfish if you like *I'm sure some will!), but now I always "appear offline" unless I really have an hour to spare chatting. Most of the time I'm too busy to be that long on the PC - I just pop in to check emails and answer a few discussions on MyLot, and I really don't have time to get embroiled in long conversations. Sometimes I get the impression that some people live their life on the Internet amd just sit there patiently like that huge spider in "Lord of the Rings" just waiting for someone to sign in so they can "pounce" on them!!! And I don't have time for that!! So I do agree with you on this one.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Jul 07
Well then rosie...you can call me rude and selfish too...LOL...It could be said I do spend the majority of my time in front of the computer...but not to "chat"--99-percent of the time I'm busy working on projects in front of the computer, so I need that time for me!
1 person likes this
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
21 Jul 07
To be honest, I don't think I've turned on my messengers for a couple of months now. I have them set to where I have to manually start them up, rather than let them start automatically when I log on. The little alerts drive me up the wall, and they are beyond distracting when I am busy. I know that when I finally do start them up, I'm going to be attacked my all sorts of messages and alerts. LOL
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Jul 07
I've since switched off my messenger...it wasn't just the messenger..everytime I got a new email too, I'd get this alert...yeesh..so off it went..now in blissful quiet...LOL
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
22 Jul 07
The main annoyance that I've had with messenger systems is just that there are so many different ones, and since it seems everyone I know uses a different one, there are now like fifty messenger programs on my computer. I gave up on most of them a long time ago, because most of the time I just don't feel like talking to people that much anyway.
The only one that I actively use right now is ICQ, and there are exactly two people on my friends list there, only one of whom I talk to regularly. In fact, I pretty much turn it on just to talk to him. Otherwise I seriously doubt I would do the messenger thing anymore at all, because it's really more social contact than I want most of the time. Forums are better for me because I can come and go as I please, and not miss anything really.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
22 Jul 07
Well I only have the one messenger system...and one is enough believe me..I now have it turned off as it really was just so distracting
1 person likes this
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
16 Jul 07
I don't find messenger annoying at all since I only have one really good friend on it and that friend knows when I am here since I stay invisible to everyone. My friend and I talk every evening and I can do whatever I have to do while I chat with him.
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
22 Jul 07
I don't get add requests a lot, unless it is someone I know. I do on occassion get IM's from very weird names and I never answer them just close it.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Jul 07
Well when I have messenger on, I have it in the invisible mode too...but like I said, sometimes I get these things requesting to add them on my list...One guy seemed to be really persistent...and kept buzzing me even though my messenger was turned to invisible mode--I ignored it of course..think he finally got the hint I wasn't interested
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
16 Jul 07
I just can't figure out how people get my messenger address though whom I don't know
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
21 Jul 07
No I have never had that Problem yet with Yahoo Messenger but I have heard of a few People that have
I have had it once in AOL and this Person was on about a List to
But no I have never had it since and I have both MSN and Yahoo
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
22 Jul 07
Well I've been keeping my messenger off, since I did find it so distracting...especially if I was in the middle of scanning photos.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
20 Jul 07
I'm the same as you. Folk I know spend lots of time om Messenger, sometimes with several people at once. That's not why I'm here. The only people I like to messenger with are my granchildren and I know their Mum will limit them. I'm either working or involved with something when I'm online, not to have frivolous discussions about the weather or wether I "play" or not. Mostly, I don't even have it turned on.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Hehe--it's almost as bad as that pesky friend of mine who wants to call me on the phone just to tell me the latest jokes she's heard...I straightened her out about that...she might be annoyed at me, but hey....I gotta get work done..right?
@howard96h (11640)
• New York, New York
17 Jul 07
I shut Yahoo messenger off so when the computer starts Yahoo messenger doesn't. If I want to talk to anyone on my list I will first log on to messenger and see who's around. When I had it set up like yours it drove me crazy so I had to change the settings. Now I have more time to work on my list of things I can't eat or drink - LOL!
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Jul 07
Hehe...yes that list is getting larger of things not to eat or drink--LOL
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
17 Jul 07
Awww black cat. You're famous that's why, lol! During my days of hibernation, I was online playing games with my best friend here every night. We used Yahoo games to compete with each other. Since then, I've been constantly receiving strangers asking me to be added on my list. I turned all of them down. I don't easily add anyone on my messenger list. I can't blame this people though. My messenger ID is quite enticing, lol!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
17 Jul 07
Oh my little bunny...the agony of being wanted and popular...LOL
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
18 Jul 07
I do not have Yahoo messanger, I do not want to be interputed. We had the internet at work and some idoit at woke loaded the yahoo messenger at work. Now why would anyone presume to think it would be OK to download somethink like that at work. The night shift would communicate with god knows who all night long. I being the supervisor would take issue to it. I could not get it off the computer.
So I do not want it on my personal computer.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Jul 07
I don't like being interrupted either which is why I have the darn thing turned off
1 person likes this
@brendakaya (2332)
• United States
18 Jul 07
I know what you mean, they can be a pain sometimes. That's why I always sign in invisible if I don't want to be bothered. Which is most of the time. lol
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Jul 07
I'm invisible to the world too..lol
1 person likes this
