When i tried to frame my hesitation over Skype, i was sent through the wringer both online and offline. I felt like a heretic. As such, Dave Weinberger’s frustration today made me grin.
Even IM tends to drive me batty and i turn it off when i need to work. (Of course, somehow, i feel as though i’m allowed to blog while i’m writing a paper even if i’m not allowed to be interactive.) Voice takes things to the next level. I have no qualms ignoring IMs while i’m working or telling people that i’m working and can’t talk. I don’t give out my IM to the world at large; i don’t allow IMs from people i don’t know; and i rarely have time/hand power to just chat on IM. Voice is a whole new level of not-OK.
Just because VOIP solves certain economic problems (particularly for members of a diaspora) does not mean that it alters my conniption fits about my relationship with voice interactions. I *hate* the phone and i HATE being interupted while working even more. Of course, there are exceptions and i usually answer my cell for friends, even if only to say that i can’t really talk right now. But the idea of getting random calls from strangers is about the most horrifying thing that i can imagine. Eek! I definitely feel for Dave…
I’m sorry. You must have a wrong number.
Lately I’ve seen some complaints about random calls from strangers on Skype and MSN. It seems to me that this is a completely new phenomenon that seems to belong exclusively to the net world. I can’t recall ever having the…
I’m sorry. You must have a wrong number.
Lately I’ve seen some complaints about random calls from strangers on Skype and MSN. It seems to me that this is a completely new phenomenon that seems to belong exclusively to the net world. I can’t recall ever having the…
While I agree generally with the gripe, I may be naive, but I believe that technology will solve some of the problems involving when/how you want to be contacted. Part of it will evolve together with the way we manage our time and weave technology into our lives. It reminds me of the days when everyone shouted into their cell phones or thought their batteries drained faster when they made long distance calls. I wouldn’t write of VoIP or Skype just because they are annoying today.
You remind me of those people who said they’d never get cell phones
I remember when everyone shouted into their cell phones and thought that their batteries drained faster when they made long…