Problems with busy mode?

I'm having trouble using busy mode. Primarily, it doesn't seem to do diddly squat. It does decline tp's and inventory offers, but the IMs come through like always. Why would I care if inventory comes through if I'm busy anyway? Inventory isn't taking up any time.

The IM comes through, then the person apologizes for disturbing me, and I feel heart-broken and respond anyway.

Does anyone actually use busy mode successfully, and if so, could you offer pointers? Can I set something so that the IMs don't come through? Or is mine just broken?

Well, I haven't had any prob with the busy mode thing... Anyway, there's something I don't like on them... if it works correctly, you can't receive inventory offers, so you can lose things... and yep, that's not good...

This also happens to me - exactly as how you described - and I can't bring myself to simply say "I'm busy..." so I finally have a long chat with the person. This is about the only reason I have an alt.

That's how it's supposed to work.

Resident X IMs you
You see the IM pop up
Resident X sees your busy message
You just ignore the IM
Resident X won't see the busy message again until you explicitly close the IM window

Setting Busy also "ignores' main chat (unless you have the history window up).

I use "Busy Mode" all the time. Well maybe not all the time, but I use it.

It is my understanding the IMs will still be delivered to you, but you can customize the message which is sent to the sending through the "Communications" tab of the "Preferences" dialog. It is the local chat messages which are supressed from your HUD though they are still visible in the "Near Me" chat window tab.

The problem is they know you've seen their IM... I suppose there's nothing wrong with Busy Mode, it's more a matter with how comfortable you are by not responding.

I've tried to phrase my return message to emphasize that I'm engaged in a task that causes me not to see their IM, which is partly true when I'm going back and forth between GIMP/Internet and SL. I just had the impression from the description that it would block the IMs and deliver them when I got out of busy mode. As others have mentioned, it blocks the chat, not the IMs.

As we hashed to death a few weeks ago, we need an ability to "hide." I don't want to revive that thread here. I'll try to live with busy mode, lame as it is, and pray to the Lindens that JIRA goes through one day.

I've noticed that Inventory Offers from my friends will get auto-declined and I get absolutely no notice that such occured. However, the item apparently goes into MY trash, so I can actually still get it. Therefore, I have gotten myself into the habit of emptying my trash before going into Busy mode and then checking the trash contents later.

Busy person beware though -- you should still never attempt to purchase anything while in Busy mode, because who knows where the bought item would end up.

/Me goes back inworld to use Avion's and JessicaNichol's suggestion to customize Busy Message. (didn't really know about this)
but I agree (my 1st impression also) that it would be nice if IMs were blocked...

Okay, when I just set my busy mode, I got the message from SL "Chat and Instant Message will be hidden."

So this is clearly more than just my mistaken impression of how it should work. If IMs are coming through, then this busy mode is not functioning as intended!

Avion, is your IM window still open? You need to close it!

IMs are hidden in the same way chat is hidden, so there's nothing wrong with the message, it's just not as clear as it could be.

If you IM someone (with the history closed) you see the little text bubble pop-up at the bottom of the screen, just like you'd see main chat pass by there.

When set busy, you hide that visual portion, but both main chat and IMs are still passing through and available.

IM does not appear in the area where chat would. The only thing that appears is the button. Group IMs are suppressed (thankfully) and so is chat. But the direct IM is delivered to you, and they get the busy message.