Comment Re:usefullness? (Score 1) 146
Oh, I'm not "blindly reject[ing] it." I've used it in the past. That's why I refuse to use it for any of my projects. What the coders do amongst themselves is up to them.
I have found that in many cases, with IM available, newer, less experienced coders fire off questions with little to no thought (not checking email, notes, etc.) given to the problem at hand. Email slows this stream of questioning and also works just as well for your IM example. Oh, and with the seasoned P/As, the IMs were pretty much, "hey, are you there? I'm coming up to talk." A little more convenient than picking up the phone, but hardly essential.
If people see IM as a tool, they'll use it properly. Unfortunately, many of the new kids we hire see it as a social device and/or as an all-knowing oracle.
I have found that in many cases, with IM available, newer, less experienced coders fire off questions with little to no thought (not checking email, notes, etc.) given to the problem at hand. Email slows this stream of questioning and also works just as well for your IM example. Oh, and with the seasoned P/As, the IMs were pretty much, "hey, are you there? I'm coming up to talk." A little more convenient than picking up the phone, but hardly essential.
If people see IM as a tool, they'll use it properly. Unfortunately, many of the new kids we hire see it as a social device and/or as an all-knowing oracle.
